Busting #MedicaidMyths: Medicaid services in schools

April 25, 2017 / #MedicaidMyths

Myth: My daughter gets occupational therapy and physical therapy at school, but that is just part of school services to help her get through the day. It doesn't have anything to do with Medicaid.

Fact: In many school districts Medicaid pays for these services. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools are required to provide related medical services that are necessary for students with disabilities to get an education. Services like occupational therapy and physical therapy are provided to Medicaid-eligible students through the Ohio Medicaid Schools Program. The state provides matching funds. In Ohio, the total Medicaid budget going to schools is $81 million, with federal Medicaid dollars contributing $51 million. This means federal Medicaid dollars provide nearly two-thirds of the total funding for Medicaid in schools. If there were cuts to Medicaid, more responsibility to pay for these required services would be shifted to the schools and local levy dollars.