Money Won’t Cover Attendant Care (KS)

July 21, 2010

An agreement announced this week that allows Kansas school districts to be reimbursed for services delivered to special education students won’t cover services related to attendant care.

Attendant care services are for basic care, such as hygiene, tube feeding, mobility, administering medications and other services related to allowing spe cial education students function in a school environment.

Kansas Health Policy Authority officials say the cost settlement agreement reached with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, discontinues the Medicaid reimbursement for attendant care services for special education students in the school setting. The agreement allows for school districts to be reimbursed by Medicaid for services provided by social workers and psychologists, specialized transportation, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech, language and hearing services.

Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner for finance at the Kansas State Department of Education, said although attendant care services no longer will be reimbursed by Medicaid, school districts still will be able to use the money they receive for other Medicaid services for attendant care services.

"The money they get, federal or state aid, they can use any of that money for attendant care services," Dennis said. "They can use other Medicaid funds if they so choose. It’s up to them."

Dennis said if school districts decide to use their Medicaid reimbursement funds for attendant care services, they may have to find other funding sources to cover other Medicaid services provided to special education students.