In a recent meeting of the New Hampshire Commission to Study Costs of Special Education, members discussed the complexities surrounding Medicaid reimbursement for special education services, highlighting significant challenges faced by local school districts. The conversation centered on how recent state-level changes have complicated the billing process, leading to concerns that students may be missing out on essential services due to administrative hurdles.

Henry Lippmann, a key speaker at the meeting, pointed out that some districts struggle to recover costs associated with the labor required to apply for Medicaid reimbursements. He noted that the process has become increasingly time-consuming, which detracts from the resources available for students. Lippmann suggested that New Hampshire could benefit from a model similar to Colorado's, where a separate district assists schools in navigating the reimbursement process.

Commission members discussed potential solutions, including simplifying the application forms. One proposal involved adding a simple checkbox to indicate whether a student is on Medicaid, which could streamline the process and allow for better tracking of reimbursements. Currently, the systems used for special education and Medicaid are not interconnected, making it difficult for districts to access necessary data.

The meeting also touched on the technology used by districts to manage special education data. All districts are required to use the New England Special Education Information System (NESIS) for their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and reimbursement submissions. However, concerns were raised about the lack of integration between NESIS and other state systems, which hampers the ability to efficiently manage and analyze special education costs.

As the commission continues its work, the discussions from this meeting underscore the urgent need for reforms that could enhance the efficiency of Medicaid reimbursements and ultimately improve the quality of special education services for students across New Hampshire. The commission aims to explore these issues further, with the goal of ensuring that all students receive the support they need.