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In a recent meeting, top officials with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) told the Wisconsin School Medicaid Coalition that the department is working to reverse the federal “Free Care Rule,” which currently limits Medicaid funding reimbursement for services provided in the school setting to those provided to students with Individualized Education Plans or IEPs. This will provide significant new funding for Wisconsin schools. Joining Jack O’Meara in the meeting were leaders of the Wisconsin Association of School Nurses (WASN), the Wisconsin School Social Workers Association (WSSWA), and the Wisconsin School Psychologists Association (WSPA). OPA manages the coalition, which has long advocated for Free Care Rule Reversal in Wisconsin. The federal government has allowed states to implement the rule reversal as long as they do it through their State Medicaid Plans. DHS will present the proposed plan change to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The goal for implementation at the school level is the 2025-26 school year.

Injection of epinephrine is used for emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) to insect bites or stings, medicines, foods, or other substances. It is also used to treat anaphylaxis caused by unknown substances or triggered by exercise.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently signed legislation into law that will make epinephrine more readily available in Wisconsin by removing statutory language referring to “auto injector or prefilled epinephrine syringes” and instead using the more generic terminology of “epinephrine delivery system.” The new law is 2023 Wisconsin Act 27: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2023/related/acts/27.pdf