Victims of Sexual Offenses Receive Free Forensic Exams

If you receive a bill for the cost of a forensic medical exam, please contact our office. By law, medical providers cannot bill you or your insurance for the forensic exam.

Si usted recibe una factura por el costo de un examen médico forense, comuníquese a nuestra oficina.  Por ley, los proveedores de atención médica no pueden enviarle a usted, ni a su aseguradora, una factura por examen forense.

Victims may submit an application for reimbursement of medical expenses beyond the forensic exam to the Crime Victims Compensation Commission for consideration of those expenses.

Las víctimas pueden presentar una solicitud de reembolso a la Comisión de Compensación a Víctimas del Delito por gastos médicos que vayan más allá de la examinación forense, para que los pongan en consideración. 

The program is required to verify the chain of custody of the rape kit and confirm receipt of the kit by law enforcement. This information must be verified before payment can be submitted to the medical facility or medical professional who performs the forensic medical examination.

El Programa requiere que la cadena de custodia del kit con suministros forenses para caso de violación sea verificada y también que la policía confirme la recepción de dicho kit de suministros. Antes de que se envíe el pago al centro de servicios médicos, o al profesional médico que ha efectuando la examinación médica forense, esta información debe ser verificada.

• 1st Degree Rape and 2nd Degree Rape
• 1st Degree Sex Offense and 2nd Degree Sex Offense
• Statutory Rape and Statutory Sex Offense

•    Violación en 1er grado y Violación en 2o grado
•    Agresión sexual en 1er grado y Agresión sexual en 2o grado
•    Violación estatutaria y Agresión sexual estatutaria
 

The law requires service providers who conduct the exam to bill the Rape Victim Assistance Program directly. State law instructs medical providers who perform the forensic medical examination to refrain from billing the victim or the victim’s personal insurance, Medicaid, Medicare or any other collateral source for the examination.

State law requires a medical facility or provider to encourage the victim to submit an application for reimbursement of medical expenses beyond the cost of the forensic examination to the Office of Victim Compensation Services.

The program is only authorized to cover the expenses related to the forensic exam. State law requires a medical facility or provider to encourage the victim to submit an application for reimbursement of additional medical expenses to the Office of Victim Compensation Services.

Medical facilities and medical professionals who perform forensic medical examinations shall do so using a Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit. Program payments for the forensic medical examination shall be limited to the following:

• Payment directly to provider. The program shall make payment directly to the medical facility or medical professional. Bills submitted to the program for payment shall specify under which categories of expense set forth in subsection (d) of this section the billed services fall.
• Additional victim notification requirements. A medical facility or medical professional who performs a forensic medical examination shall encourage victims to submit an application for reimbursement of medical expenses beyond the forensic examination to the Crime Victims Compensation Commission for consideration of those expenses. Medical facilities and medical professional shall not seek reimbursement for the program after one year from the date of the exam.