S.F. 2049 Section 1. HAWK-I COVERED SPEECH THERAPY BENEFIT UNDER 1 MEDICAID MANAGED CARE CONTRACT. The hawk-i covered speech 2 therapy benefit under Medicaid managed care shall provide for 3 coverage of both habilitative and rehabilitative services 4 for children with speech, language, and hearing disorders as 5 medically necessary. The determination that a service is 6 medically necessary shall not be interpreted to require loss 7 or impairment as the result of a stroke, accidental injury, or 8 surgery to the head or neck as a prerequisite to coverage of 9 services. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 This bill requires that the hawk-i covered speech therapy 14 benefit under Medicaid managed care provide for coverage of 15 both habilitative and rehabilitative services for children with 16 speech, language, and hearing disorders as medically necessary. 17 The bill prohibits the determination of a service as medically 18 necessary from being interpreted to require loss or impairment 19 as the result of a stroke, accidental injury, or surgery to the 20 head or neck as a prerequisite to coverage of services. 21 -1- LSB 5666XS (2) 86 pf/nh 1/ 1