Tim Bailey has a daughter in University School on the campus of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. For the past three years, she has taken Speech Therapy classes, and the Washington County School System has always provided them, free of charge.
Just this week, Bailey received a packet of forms from the Washington County Board of Education. In the forms he was asked to provide information regarding his personal insurance information. School systems are allowed to ask for that information, but according to law, you do not have to provide it.
The letter Bailey received made it sound like he must give the School system his info, or his daughter would not get the therapy she needs. That is not the case however. The letter also clearly states, that the Washington County School system is entirely responsible for providing those Special Education programs.
Dr. Susan Belcher spoke to me, and assured me that parents have never had to pay a penny out-of-pocket for these services. The child's services in no way would be efffected.
By law, school systems across the country are allowed to ask for the insurance information, in order to bill insurance companies, to help alleviate some of the costs associated with Special Education programs.
The bottom line is...they may ask for the information, but you have the right to deny it if you wish.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement