Ohio schools could lose millions of dollars they now get to pay for speech and physical therapy, behavioral services, student evaluations and other special education services, because of changes to Medicaid in the congressional bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.
The money assists about 61,000 students in 580 Ohio school districts. In 2013, the last year for which final figures are available, the federal government sent Ohio schools an estimated $47.25 million for the the program.
Based on a formula for the healthcare bill that the House of Representatives approved in a narrow vote this afternoon, Ohio schools would collectively lose $8 million to $12 million a year to pay for this Medicaid in Schools program if the bill became law.
Large districts like Cleveland Metropolitan School District would lose more than $500,000 a year, enough to pay the salaries of a number of special education teachers, therapists or nurses.
Bigger or smaller cuts are possible. States would have to decide whether to dedicate more or less money to other health programs — such as health coverage for low-income Ohioans — or make the schools absorb the loss.
One thing would not change, however. Schools would still be required to provide these services, such as speech and motor-skills therapy, assessments and transportation to schools or other specialty centers, under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
It was unclear if members of Congress voting on the bill — a broad measure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare — knew this level of detail.
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