Updates on Medicaid School Program (Posted 10.09) 

Following is an exerpt from an email from Mark Smith, MSP Coordinator and Kelly O'Reilly GAC lobbyist regarding who can submit requests for payment of speech language therapy services:

 I have some excellent news to share with you all regarding conditional license status within the Medicaid Schools Program (MSP): thank you to Bill Shackleford for enlightening me on this issue- Bill has been integral in the development of this program.

While the MSP rules are silent on the status of ‘conditional’ licenses, those with conditional license status can and should bill for Medicaid.

Rationale: holding a conditional ‘license in the healing arts’ is still a Medicaid tenet being met - its nothing more than the licensure boards adding additional requirements they feel are appropriate for capable, but new, licensed staff. If anything, what Medicaid should see is that a more rigorous standard is being set for these therapists, not a lesser one. I see the silence in the MSP rules as a reflection of their equality with their non-conditional, licensed counterparts in the eyes of Medicaid for both service delivery and payment.

While this good news allows for conditional license status therapists to bill Medicaid, the matter of the SLP permit is a separate issue. I am preparing a rationale I hope can permit a re-examination of their non-billable status. Both Kelly and my recollection of this issue seem to align, nonetheless I feel it’s the right thing to do to advocate for these people’s inclusion, given the role they fill in delivering much needed services.

To recap:

1) Speech-Language Pathologists (non-restricted license): billable

2) Speech-Language Pathologists Aide (non-restricted license): billable

3) Speech-Language Pathologists (conditional license): billable

4) Speech-Language Pathologists (permit status): currently, not billable (but not a dead issue just yet)

Legislative Report

The February 2010 Legislative Update is available for download below.