The Special Education Medicaid Initiative (SEMI) is a school-based federal Medicaid reimbursement program. The purpose of SEMI is to help school districts recover a portion of costs for certain Medicaid covered services or activities provided to Medicaid-eligible students enrolled in participating New Jersey schools.
Enacted in 1965, Title XIX of the Social Security Act established the Medicaid program. Medicaid is a government-sponsored insurance program for eligible low-income individuals and families. In 1993, the New Jersey Departments of Education (DOE), Human Services (DHS) and Treasury began the Special Education Medicaid Initiative (SEMI). The purpose of SEMI is to recover a portion of costs for certain Medicaid covered services provided to Medicaid eligible students enrolled in participating New Jersey local education agencies (LEAs).