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Forensic Sexual Assault Direct Reimbursement
Under legislation signed into law in 2003 and effective as of April 1, 2005, OVS provides direct reimbursement to providers of forensic rape examination services. The reimbursement fee covers the examiner’s services, related facilities’ costs, basic laboratory tests and pharmaceuticals.
This reimbursement ensures that sexual assault survivors are not billed for any forensic rape examination services. It provides for the personal privacy of sexual assault victims, while reimbursing providers when the victim does not have access to private health insurance or chooses not to use private health care insurance for the forensic examination. However, if a victim voluntarily assigns his or her private insurance benefits to cover the forensic exam, the hospital or health care facility may not bill the OVS.
The reimbursement rate was set by statute in fiscal year 2010-2011 to be itemized charges up to $800. This fee is to be reviewed annually and may, if appropriate, be adjusted by OVS in consultation with the Department of Health. The fee remained unchanged in fiscal year 2010-2011.
To access these program funds, a licensed health care provider who has performed a forensic rape examination must file the direct reimbursement claim form and an itemized bill for services. The claim must be received within one year of the examination.
Detailed instructions for filing claims are available on the OVS’s website. Claim forms are supplied inside of the Sexual Offense Evidence Collection Kits distributed to health care providers by the Division of Criminal Justice Services. Claim forms may also be downloaded from our website and are available by mail upon request.
For fiscal year 2011-2012, OVS paid $4,276,915 on 5,497 forensic sexual assault examination claims through this program.
