The Forensic Rape Examination Payment Program (FREPP) was enacted by the 2005 Montana Legislature in response to the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA prohibits healthcare facilities from billing survivors of sexual assault for the cost of a forensic exam to collect evidence. In cases that are reported to law enforcement, the criminal justice agency with jurisdiction is responsible for the cost of the exam. For cases that are not reported to law enforcement, the cost is paid by FREPP at the Montana Department of Justice. The program ensures that the forensic evidence necessary to prosecute cases is available, even if survivors are not ready to report the crime to law enforcement when they first seek medical care.

Under 46-15-411 MCA, FREPP payments are available to healthcare providers that administer the exam using a sexual assault evidence kit to collect the evidence. Exams administered without using a kit are not eligible.

FREPP pays for the cost of a sexual assault exam up to a maximum of $600.

Covered costs include:

  • Complete and customary sexual assault exam
  • Emergency room/facility charge
  • Physician/nurse examiner charge
  • Sexual transmitted infection and pregnancy prophylaxis
  • Blood and urine specimens for toxicology testing
  • Supplies
  • Laboratory testing
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Mailing charges

A healthcare provider must accept FREPP’s reimbursement rate as payment in full for covered services and may not submit any remaining balance to the survivor or commence civil actions against the survivor to recover the balance. Treatment of any physical injuries that may have occurred at the time of the sexual assault may still be billed to the survivor.

OVS

  • Healthcare facilities may order sexual assault evidence kits, free of charge, by emailing [email protected].
  • Toxicology kits must be ordered separately by emailing [email protected].
  • Please limit toxicology kit orders to no more than six kits at a time. The approximate shelf life for toxicology kits is 9 to 18 months.
  • Sexual assault and toxicology kits usually ship within 1-3 business days.

  • Pursuant to 46-15-404, Montana Code Annotated, healthcare facilities must notify the law enforcement agency of the kit’s collection within 24 hours of the exam. The agency must take possession of the kit within 5 business days and then transfer the kit to the crime lab within 30 days from its receipt for analysis.
  • For cases not reported to law enforcement: The healthcare facility must transfer the kit to FREPP at the Montana Department of Justice, which will hold the evidence until the survivor decides to report the assault or for 75 years. Please deliver or ship these anonymous kits via a tracked method to:

FREPP
2225 11th Avenue
Helena, MT 59601

  • The collection and transfer of any kit must be recorded in the online Kit Track System promptly. Please contact [email protected] or 406-444-9820 for information about how to register for a Kit Track account or for technical support.

Survivors may track the status and location of their evidence kit by entering their date of birth and the Kit ID number on the Sexual Assault Kit Status web page.

If you need help locating your Kit ID number, please email [email protected] or call 406-444-9820.
Assistance is generally available between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Please leave a message outside of office hours.

To seek reimbursement for the cost of exams administered in sexual assault cases that are not reported to law enforcement, the healthcare facility must submit a detailed invoice, including CPT codes, to FREPP within 90 days of the date of the exam. This information must be mailed to:

FREPP
2225 11th Avenue
Helena, MT 59601

For more information, contact FREPP at:

Hope Stockwell, SARN Coordinator

E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: 406-444-9869