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KMAP BULLETIN: Coverage of Services Provided by Temporarily Licensed Speech and Language Pathologists

Date: 03/07/22

KMAP SPEECH/LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY BULLETIN 22000 (PDF)

Effective with dates of service on and after April 1, 2022, Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) with a temporary license may provide services to Medicaid members during the completion of their supervised clinical fellowship year (CFY). The fully credentialed, supervising SLP or approved biller may submit claims to Kansas Medical Assistance Program (KMAP) for services performed by the temporarily licensed SLP. Speech and Hearing services must be provided in accordance with 42 CFR 440.110 (c)(2). 

Services for individuals with speech, hearing, and language disorders:

Services for individuals with speech, hearing, and language disorders means diagnostic, screening, preventive or corrective services provided by or under the direction of a speech pathologist or audiologist, for which a patient is referred by a physician or other licensed practitioner of the healing arts within the scope of his or her practice under State law. It includes any necessary supplies and equipment.

An SLP is an individual who has one of the following:

  • A certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA)
  • Completed the equivalent educational requirements and work experience necessary for the certificate
  • Completed the academic program and is acquiring supervised work experience to qualify for the certificate

ASHA considers the CFY an important transitional phase between supervised graduate-level practicum and the independent delivery of services. Inherent in this transition:

  • Development of a total commitment to quality service delivery
  • Integration and application of theoretical knowledge
  • Development of clinical skills consistent with the current scope of practice

The CFY is a transition between being a student and being an independent provider of clinical services that involve a mentor’s professional experience after the completion of academic course work and clinical practicum.

It is the student’s responsibility to seek employment in a setting where the CFY supervisory requirements can be met.

The mentor must have an active, unencumbered license to enroll in KMAP with Provider Type and Provider Specialty:

  • 17 - Therapist
  • 173 - Speech Therapist/SLP

Supervision requirements in accordance with K.A.R 28-61-2:

  • The supervisor must evaluate the applicant on no less than 36 occasions, monitoring activities with at least four hours per month.
  • The supervisor must make at least 18 on-site observations with at least two hours per month.
  • Monitoring occasions may include on-site observations, conferences in person or on the telephone, evaluation of written reports, evaluations by professional colleagues, or correspondence.
  • The supervisor must maintain detailed written records of all contacts and conferences during the CFY.

In accordance with K.S.A. 68-6506(e) and K.A.R. 28-61-4(a), a temporary SLP license is valid for a period of 12 months and may be renewed for one subsequent 12-month period with approval from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary.  

Note: After the completion of the supervised CFY period, the temporarily licensed SLP must independently enroll in KMAP for reimbursement to continue. The provision of SLP services provided by a temporarily licensed SLP are subject to post-payment review and recoupment as warranted.

Note: The effective date of the policy is April 1, 2022. The implementation of State policy by the KanCare managed care organizations (MCOs) may vary from the date noted in the Kansas Medical Assistance Program (KMAP) bulletins. The KanCare Open Claims Resolution Log on the KMAP Bulletins page documents the MCO system status for policy implementation and any associated reprocessing completion dates once the policy is implemented.