MMSD Today

News and information for staff members and the Madison community

Vol. I No. 1 - November 18, 2005

Gulbrandsen Urges Medicaid Reimbursement Changes

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Mary Gulbrandsen, MMSD's executive director of Student Services, urged legislators in testimony before the Senate Health committee to change how school districts receive Medicaid reimbursement resources.

Gulbrandsen testified related to Senate Bill 313, which would require a greater portion of federal Medicaid reimbursement dollars to go back to school districts that provide the required services. Currently, the state Department of Health and Family Services skims 40% of the federal resources off the top and deposits the money into the state's general fund. Federal law allows this, but for years, Madison and other school districts have argued for a better reimbursement rate from the state. (Illinois reimburses at 100%; Indiana at 97%.)

In her testimony, Gulbrandsen told a compelling story about a boy she worked with at the Central Wisconsin Center prior to coming to MMSD. Billy had severe cognitive impairment and was blind. He was immobilized due to a temporary lower body cast, and did little more than bang his head on the gurney.

A couple of years later, in her first year with MMSD, Billy was again one of the children she cared for. By chance, there was a piano in the room where Billy and the other cognitively disabled students received instruction. Sometimes music would be played in class to calm students. After a while, Billy literally stumbled across the piano and began to play whatever music had been played for the students. Billy was a savant and could immediately play any piece of music he listened to. In fifth grade, he was the accompanist for the school concert.

When the committee chairwoman, Sen. Carol Roessler (R-Oshkosh), asked Gulbrandsen if students with severe disabilities should be in a school setting, she responded, "Billy would never have succeeded if he hadn't gone to public school."

The bill was reported out of the committee on a 5-0 vote and was referred to the Joint Finance committee (JFC). The bill's authors, Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greenfield), are both members of JFC, as are three other legislative co-sponsors, hopefully, enhancing the bill's prospects for passage. The bill's effective date is 2008.

An estimate based on billable services provided in the 2002-03 school year indicates the change could provide nearly $700,000 in extra resources for Madison.

Gulbrandsen Urges Medicaid Reimbursement Changes

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