2.3 Expenditure Narratives Guidance

Expenditure Narratives Overview

Crafting a comprehensive and clear narrative for the Reimbursement Spending Report (RSR) is crucial for transparency, accountability, and ensuring that Medicaid reimbursement dollars are used effectively. A mnemonic has been developed to help with this process: S.I.P. To remember the mnemonic, keep the following phrase in mind when writing RSR narratives: 

"Before you submit, take a S.I.P.!"

S.I.P. stands for...

Scope: Is the item/service being described covered by Medicaid reimbursement dollars?

• The RSR is solely reporting on Medicaid reimbursement spending by LEAs, therefore narratives in the report should report on only expenditures covered by these dollars.

Identify: Is the item/service identifiable? Is it uniquely searchable?

• Ensure to provide enough details so the item or service is easily identifiable in future reviews. This might involve mentioning the name of a specific program, a unique curriculum, or a specialized position, particularly if these are not universally known. A good check is to provide enough information so that the item or service can be found in a general internet search.

Purpose: Does the item/service satisfy a student health or program administration need?

• Expenditures are permissible if they satisfy a health-related service for students or support program administration. Consequently, report narratives should contain sufficient information to identify the purpose of the item/service.

The next five subcategory sections will provide additional guidance on narratives with examples of narratives that meet the criteria (sufficient) and those that fall short (insufficient).