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Payment for Sexual Assault Victims

If you have had a sexual assault forensic examination (with evidence collection kit) performed, you should know the following:

  1. The Victims' Compensation Program will pay the hospital up to $500 for the sexual assault examination.
  2. The hospital may not bill you or your insurer for the sexual assault examination nor for any balance over the $500.
  3. This bill will be paid even if you do not report the assault to law enforcement.
  4. However:
    • a. The hospital is allowed to bill you or your insurer for charges unrelated to the sexual assault examination, for x-rays for example.
    • b. Also, you may have other medical or counseling expenses or lost income due to the assault.
    • c. If you need help with these expenses, you may file a Victims' Compensation Application, but, in that case, you will need to report the crime to law enforcement, and other requirements of the Victims' Compensation Program will apply.

Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Billing Process

The Victims' Compensation Fund provides direct reimbursement for hospitals and other healthcare providers who perform forensic examinations for alleged victims of gross sexual assault.

Public Law 719 of the second regular session of the 119th Legislature established a new procedure for billing for the tests and treatments involved in a forensic examination performed on an alleged victim of gross sexual assault. The law became effective November 1, 2000.

The Victims' Compensation Board promulgated rules specify the requirements with which providers must conform in order for their bills to be eligible for payment. The rules include what services must be made available to the patient and what services may be billed to the Victims' Compensation Program. Other requirements, including information about handling the sexual assault examination kits, are included in the legislation. The intention of the legislation was to have examinations of child molestation victims, for which a kit is not used, to continue to be authorized and billed through the Office of the District Attorney.

"Sex Crimes Kits" are now available through the Department of Public Safety. Orders can be placed by faxing a request on letterhead to (207) 287-4688.

If you have any questions about the payment process, please do not hesitate to call the Victims' Compensation Program at (207) 624-7882.

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