In a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley recently expressed their support for the Oregon Health Authority’s grant application for a planning grant of up to $2.5 million. The senators emphasized that this funding would be instrumental in enhancing school-based health services funded by Medicaid in Oregon, by providing technical assistance, training, and community engagement to support school districts and local education agencies.
In their letter, the senators commended Oregon on its initiative to expand the use of Medicaid to cover a wide range of health services in schools beyond those listed in individualized education programs and individualized service plans. They also highlighted CMS’s 2014 initiative that allowed states to seek reimbursement for health services for all students enrolled in Medicaid.
The senators expressed optimism about the potential impact of the grant funding on enhancing the provision of Medicaid-funded school-based health services in Oregon. They expressed confidence that the Oregon Health Authority would effectively utilize the grant funding to address existing gaps in the delivery of these services, thereby improving the overall well-being of students in Oregon schools.
