NH DHHS announces temporary rules to expand Medicaid to Schools program

CONCORD – Jeffrey A. Meyers, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), announced this week that temporary rules are in place to expand the Medicaid to Schools program (MTS).

The new rules allow DHHS, the Department of Education, schools, parents and communities to work collaboratively to expand the services offered through the MTS program and increase the number of students who are able to participate.

MTS had allowed participating schools to be reimbursed by DHHS for certain Medicaid services provided in the school for children with an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Under the new rules, MTS expands in two important ways, all according to a press release. First, DHHS can now reimburse schools for services provided to any student with a plan of care established by a school district such as a 504 educational plan, as well as students with an IEP. Second, MTS will allow schools to be reimbursed for services such as children’s behavioral health and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit.

“Schools play an important role in shaping children’s futures by not only ensuring their educational needs are met, but also ensuring children’s physical and behavioral health needs are met,” Meyers said. “Changes to the Medicaid to Schools program support schools’ role by expanding the number of schoolchildren served and the services available. We thank the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules for approving these rules for the benefit of New Hampshire students.”

The New Hampshire MTS program is a voluntary program that allows school districts to bill Medicaid, with parental consent, for certain services. In 2017, 63 percent of New Hampshire school districts participated in MTS and were reimbursed for more than $28 million in Medicaid funds.

MTS services eligible for reimbursement must be included in the NH State Medicaid Plan. In July 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved DHHS’s request to expand the services included in the State Medicaid Plan, which allowed DHHS to move forward with rulemaking to expand services that can be reimbursed through MTS.

These rules were entered into on a temporary basis to ensure schools are able to bill DHHS for the expanded services beginning early in the 2018/19 school year.

DHHS will continue to collaborate with the Department of Education, school districts, and external stakeholders on implementing the expanded program within participating schools. In September, DHHS will enter into the formal rulemaking process on the expansion of MTS that will include a public comment period to provide an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to offer input and inform the rulemaking process.