Letter to Superintendents of Massachusetts Schools

Letter

Letter to Superintendents of Massachusetts Schools

KENNEDY WORKS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS

Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sent the following letter to the Superintendents of Massachusetts schools, informing them of a moratorium on the elimination of administrative and transportation costs for treating children with disabilities.

Chairman Kennedy has introduced a bill which would establish guidelines ensuring the support of health services that children with disabilities need to succeed in school, and secure Medicaid reimbursement for these services.

The text of the letter is below.

July 1, 2008

MA SUPERINTENDENT

Dear ___:

On June 30, President Bush signed into law H.R. 2642, the Supplemental Appropriations Act for the current fiscal year, which includes an important moratorium on the President's proposed elimination of Medicaid coverage for administrative and transportation costs of treating children with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Since 1986, federal policy has emphasized the essential link between Medicaid and health care for children with special needs whose conditions require treatment and management of care while in school. The unfortunate policy proposed by the Administration, however, would have resulted in harmful cuts in essential services for special needs children and improved barriers to enrolling children in Medicaid to ensure their proper health care coverage in school. Medicaid spending for the nation's schools would have been reduced by $9 billion over the next 10 years, and the costs for these essential services would have been shifted to states and localities.

For children with special needs, health care is an essential part of their school day. Instead of discouraging good health care in schools, federal policy should support the health services that children with disabilities need to remain in school and succeed. To this end, I've introduced legislation now pending in the Senate, the Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act (S. 578), to establish clear guidelines for Medicaid reimbursement for school-related health services so that as many of these children as possible to learn alongside their peers in the classroom, instead of being forced to remain at home.

Thank you for your continuing leadership and service to children and families in our Commonwealth. I look forward to being back in the Senate soon, and to continuing our work together to see that every child in Massachusetts has access to a high-quality public education.

With respect and appreciation,

Sincerely,

Edward M. Kennedy

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