Medicaid Payments For School-Based Health Services New Bedford, Massachusetts - July 1999 Through June 2000

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

This final report points out that the New Bedford Public Schools billed the Medicaid program $264,226 (Federal share) for school-based health services on 34 dates when the school was not open to students.  In addition, New Bedford Public Schools billed the Medicaid program:(1) when students were absent, (2) for several students who were not prescribed to receive school-based health services, and (3) for several students for which the school system did not locate any documentation to demonstrate that services prescribed were delivered.  We estimate that the New Bedford Public Schools were inappropriately overpaid at least $290,193 (Federal share)  in these cases.  In addition to procedural corrections, we recommended that New Bedford Public Schools refund $554,419.  School officials generally agreed with our procedural recommendations, but did not express agreement or disagreement with the recommended financial adjustment.

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