Virginia Law

A. The department shall establish and implement a system of payments, including a schedule of sliding family fees with monthly caps, for early intervention services provided under Part C. Under that system:

1. Fees shall not be charged to parents for the services a child is otherwise entitled to receive at no cost, including those listed in 12VAC35-225-220;

2. All early intervention services other than those listed in 12VAC35-225-220 shall be subject to family fees;

3. The inability of the parent of a child with a disability to pay for services shall not result in a delay or denial of services to the child or his family, such that if the family meets the criteria for inability to pay, the child shall receive all early intervention services at no cost to the family;

4. Parents shall not be charged any more than the actual cost of services, factoring in any amount received from other payment sources for that service;

5. Charges for early intervention supports and services shall be consistent regardless of the anticipated payment source, and parents with public insurance or benefits or private insurance shall not be charged disproportionately more than parents who do not have public insurance or benefits or private insurance;

6. All parents shall have the opportunity to submit information to establish ability to pay and a monthly cap for family fees. Parents who choose not to provide the required income information shall be charged for all applicable copayments, deductibles, and the full early intervention rate for services not covered by insurance;

7. The service coordinator shall ensure a family's ability to pay is established and consent for use of private insurance, public benefits, or public insurance is determined at intake for children who are covered by Medicaid or FAMIS and for all other children prior to delivering early intervention services other than those services that must be provided at no cost to the family; and

8. A family's ability to pay shall be reviewed at each annual IFSP and any time the family's financial circumstances change. If the family is unable to provide the required information, it shall be charged for all applicable copayments and deductibles or the full early intervention rate for services not covered by insurance.

B. Family fees collected shall be retained by the local lead agency to support the local early intervention system.

C. Parents who wish to contest the imposition of a fee or the determination of the parents' ability to pay may contest such determinations in accordance with 12VAC35-225-380 A.