ASHA Reimbursement Issues Grants: Frequently Asked Questions
Why does ASHA offer these grants?
In 2012, ASHA will be offering personnel grants and reimbursement grants to state associations. ASHA reimbursement grants advance state-level grassroots projects to improve private health plan and Medicaid reimbursement and coverage for member services and assistive technology devices. Personnel grants can be used to address personnel issues, such as: personnel shortages, caseload/workload, and salary supplements.
What types of projects could this grant fund?
ASHA will consider funding advocacy projects that clearly promote progress on a substantiated reimbursement or coverage issue in private health plans or Medicaid. Projects may require working with state legislators, state insurance commissions, state Medicaid agency officials, other advocacy groups, the insurance industry, unions, or employers. 2012 grants will not be awarded for activities in areas other than private health plan reimbursement or Medicaid. Examples of feasible grant projects:
- Develop a state association infrastructure to monitor and respond to proposed state legislation or regulations affecting private-sector coverage/reimbursement or Medicaid
- Hold meetings with appropriate stakeholders to develop topics and materials to prepare for meetings with legislators to lobby for specific improvements in private-sector or Medicaid coverage or reimbursement for member services
- Establish an advocacy coalition of allied organizations to meet with a union's benefits manager to promote improved audiology or speech-language pathology benefits for union members
- Advocate one or more local employers to give employees better health care coverage for services of audiologists or speech-language pathologists
Grants will not be awarded for projects related to any type of federal government-funded health care program such as Medicare, IDEA-mandated school programs, non-Medicaid state programs, military, or veterans' programs.
What is the deadline for grant applications?
The completed application (Project Proposal Form, Resource Allocation Form, and Budget Proposal Form) must be submitted to ASHA by February 10, 2012.
Note: Applications that are incomplete or received after the February 10, 2012, deadline will not be considered for a grant. You may wish to e-mail the appropriate Project Officer to verify receipt. Contact information is listed at the end of this document.
Can my state association still apply for a grant if it received a prior grant?
Yes. Past receipt of a grant award in itself does not preclude a state association from applying for or receiving an ASHA grant.
Can my state association apply for both grant types: a Personnel Grant and Reimbursement Grant?
Yes. A separate application must be submitted to the appropriate Project Officer for each type of grant. Contact information is located on the main Grant webpage.
Can I get feedback on my application?
You may request feedback on your application at any time after submission. However, applications may not be revised and re-submitted. ASHA reserves the right to provide such feedback after grant award decisions are finalized.
If ASHA denies my state association's grant proposal, can we appeal or request a second review?
ASHA's decisions on grant awards and amounts are final.
When will grants be awarded?
Applicants will be notified of grant awards by March 2, 2012.
How much money can be awarded to a state association?
The amount of each grant will be determined at ASHA's sole discretion, in accordance with the methods described in this FAQ and application materials. A maximum of $4,000 per application may be awarded.
Who makes decisions on grant awards and amounts?
A review team of National Office staff carefully reviews all grant applications and makes grant award determinations in a confidential process. There is a review team for each grant category (Personnel and Reimbursement).
What should the funds be spent on?
Grant funds are intended to support state association activities directly related to the grant projects set forth in proposals. Typically, grant funds are used for:
- external consultants
- lobbyists
- travel and other reasonable expenses for project team members to attend grant-related meetings
- supplies or equipment needed to carry out grant projects
- media access
- publications
Associations are to avoid conflicts of interest with regard to spending grant funds. Payments to state association officers may not be solely self-approved. Spent grant funds must be accounted for with careful records of expenses and payments. Reimbursement requests should be documented using forms provided by the grant Project Officer.
What are some impermissible uses of funds?
Grant funds are not intended for and shall not be used for the following:
- Personal gain of any type, including compensation (money or "in kind"), to project managers, state association presidents, or others, to perform grant-related activities. This includes reimbursement for lost practice time or for taking work leave for grant activities, conference calls, and the like. Participation is anticipated to be either in the capacity as association officers and/or as grant volunteers.
- Equipment or supplies (e.g., computers, other electronic devices) that are: 1) gratuitous because they are not primarily required for grant activities; 2) primarily given or used as someone's personal possession, rather than being the association's possession loaned for grant activities.
- Education or training of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, or other providers in clinical practice.
- Travel or otherwise to attend meetings, conferences, etc., that do not directly further the goals of the grant project. Example: An association president may not use grant funds to underwrite attendance at a general conference for association officers; funds may not be used for travel to ASHA's annual Convention.
- Travel expenses (e.g., days, hotel, mileage, meals, etc.) for any more than is required to attend a grant-related meeting.
- Services of external consultants, lobbyists, or others beyond where necessary to carry out grant activities that cannot be reasonably accomplished otherwise. We recommend that the state association require independent contractors to provide proposals outlining intended fees, services, purpose, "deliverables", and their submission dates to prior to hire.
- Education or information targeted to patients, providers, or organizations that does not directly advocate for increased coverage and reimbursement from private health plans or Medicaid.
- Government-operated health care program issues, including Medicare and Veterans' Affairs. Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) plan issues are permissible if they concern a private health plan doing business only in your state (not a multi-state or national plan).
Every effort should be made to utilize available technologies (e.g., Skype™, conference calls, GoToMeetings®) for meetings, when appropriate. Reimbursed air travel, car rental, and hotel accommodations for face-to-face meetings is not encouraged and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Charges or reimbursement claims should be invoiced directly to the state association that received the grant, not to any intermediaries. If grant funds are kept in a separate account, payments and expenses related to the grant should be allocated from that grant account and must be properly accounted for.
Can we keep and carry over into the next year grant funds that we did not spend in the grant year?
Yes. We realize that it may not be feasible to spend the entire grant amount in the grant year. In such cases, the intent is that the grant funds be used to complete the grant activities as soon as possible. We anticipate that activities and deliverables outlined in grant proposals will be substantially accomplished during the grant year and that those involved in the activities will put forth a good faith effort to accomplish the intended goals.
When is the Year-End Report and Expense Form due and what should be included?
Year-End Reports, which include a Grant Summary and Expense Form, are due by December 3, 2012, to enable ASHA staff to review year-end reports and expense documentation, then process final grant checks before accounts close for the year. The Grant Summary must give details about progress on the grant project in one-page or less. Documentation of the expenses with receipts, proof of payment, invoices marked paid, or similar items must be included with the report; original documents are preferred but copies are permitted. A list of expenses without documentation of association payment will not be acceptable. Both the Grant Summary and Expense Form must be acknowledged by the state association president.
Who should I contact with questions?
Project Officers are assigned to each grant category. Please submit applications online and direct questions on the Reimbursement Issues grant to Neela Swanson.
Reimbursement Grants Project Officer:
Neela Swanson, Associate Director, Health Care Economics & Coding
Phone: 301-296-5675
Fax: 301-296-8577
E-mail: nswanson@asha.org
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Blvd. #220
Rockville, MD 20850