Dear Parents/Guardians,
EXPLANATION OF RECENT REQUEST FOR MEDICAID CONSENT
The Office of Student Support Services recently sent out a form that asked for your consent for reimbursement for related services for your student through Medicaid. The purpose of this letter is to provide clarification of what the request means to you and your child under law 8 NYCRR §200.5(b).
It is the District’s obligation to gain one-time consent from parents, which will allow the district to be reimbursed for related services (speech, physical therapy, etc.), if the child is, or ever becomes eligible for Medicaid. Students do not have to be currently eligible for parents/guardians to sign. This is voluntary and you do not need to sign the consent form.
Signed consent is only required one time while a student remains eligible for related services. Once consent has been signed, the District is required yearly to notify parents of their right to withdraw. At this time, parents/guardians can fill out the form provided to them, but they are not required to.
Here are the requirements consistent with 8 NYCRR §200.5(b), public agencies (school districts) must continue to:
Obtain a one-time written consent from the parent/guardian before accessing the child’s or parent’s public benefits or insurance for the first time, including checking with the New York State Department of Health for a child’s CIN or for whether a child has Medicaid coverage; and
prior to obtaining consent for the first time, and annually thereafter, provide parents with a written notification that ensures that they are fully informed of their rights before a public agency can access public benefits or insurance to pay for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). This is the consent form sent to families.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Office for Student Support Services at (518) 756-5200 ext. 3032 or email cagostinoni@rcscsd.org.
Thank you,
Colleen Agostinoni & Kate Thibault
Director for Student Support Services, Assistant Director for Student Support Services