Medicaid Messenger

Medicaid policy for 2026-27 includes changes to the types of physical bus adaptations that are allowable and how transportation is documented in the IEPT for Special Education students. In order for a district to claim reimbursement for transportation, students must meet two requirements:

1. the student must need specific, physical bus adaptations,
2. the specific adaptations must be detailed in their IEP.

Bus adaptations that are allowable:

• Ramp and/or wheelchair Lift
• Securement, such as a car seat
• 5 Point Harness or other specialized harnes
• Specialized Environmental Controls, for students with medical concerns, such as asthma, respiratory issues or seizures, etc.
• Specialized Suspension to help protect fragile equipment and passengers

IEPT documentation now includes the bus adaptations detailed above, as well as the type of transportation stop, whether it is corner to corner, curb to curb, or door to door. The IEP Team determines:

1. if the student is able to walk or use general transportation,
2. if the student's medical, health, developmental and/or behavioral needs require transportation,
3. if the student's program/services are located outside of their regular attendance area.

Lastly, the IEP Team will then determine all of the specialized adaptions that each student requires and will document it in the IEP.

Before the first Transportation Day for your district's 2026-27 School Year, make sure drivers/bus aides have a copy of the paper Transportation/Driver Logs for Medicaid billing and tracking purposes. After the routes are created for adapted busses only, follow these steps to generate logs, from MISTAR:

1. Select the Bus Route.
2. Click on the Transportation Log button.
3. Select ALL Routes - OR, select a route in the Bus/Route drop down.
4. Select the Month/Year for the route(s) the log will be generated

• There are several options available:
• Print Student Date of Birth
• Print Blank Student Rows
• Print Return Statement
• Print Signature Line

Always check the boxes for the "Return Statement" and the "Signature Line" before printing Transportation logs for bus drivers and bus aides.

In the event the routes are not entered into MISTAR Transportation before the school year begins, please print the following sheet and have drivers and/or aides complete this form until the Transportation Log can be generated through MISTAR.

Remind the drivers and aides that each log MUST be signed and dated.

Download/Print the Medicaid Transportation Training Manual to create routes ONLY for busses that have one or more of the following physical adaptations:

• Ramp and/or wheelchair Lift
• Securement, such as a car seat
• 5 Point Harness or other specialized harness
• Specialized Environmental Controls, for students with medical concerns, such as asthma, respiratory issues or seizures, etc.
• Specialized Suspension to help protect fragile equipment and passengers

Stay Tuned for this important update: The Medicaid and MISTAR Teams at Wayne RESA are working to include "Wheelchair Lift" from the available adaptations column, when adding students to the route.

If you need assistance, have questions or would like to schedule training, please contact a member of the Wayne RESA, Medicaid School Services Program Team.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

We're here to help!

Michelle Maxfield - (734) 334-1461 ~maxfiem@resa.net

Leanne Smith - (734) 334-1464 ~smithle@resa.net

Tia Williams - (734) 334-1397 ~williat@resa.net