Speech therapy can be expensive. Luckily, many insurance providers will cover speech therapy or at least offer discounts depending on your policy. Of course, this is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Some insurance plans include coverage for speech therapy while others do not. You’ll need to check with your provider to see what’s covered under your plan.
Insurance companies may have different terms for speech and language therapy services, so if you’re searching for information about coverage, look for the following terms: speech therapy, speech language pathology, and/or speech and language therapy.
Fortunately, speech therapy is a recognized form of medical care. As such, it is eligible for insurance coverage under many plans. However, every insurance plan is different. Each plan has its own rules and regulations about what kinds of treatments fall under its coverage. This makes it difficult to know if your speech therapy will be covered before you begin treatment.
In general, if you have a physical ailment or disability that requires speech therapy to treat or manage, the treatment could be covered by your insurance provider. This includes muscle or joint disorders that affect your ability to speak clearly and impediments due to stroke or head injury. If you are seeking speech therapy for yourself or someone you love who fits this description, be sure to contact your insurance provider right away to find out if your treatment will be covered as part of your policy.
You may also have a mental health concern that requires speech therapy in order to address it effectively. In many cases, mental health concerns are eligible for insurance coverage as well; however, this can vary from plan to plan and from situation to situation.
Speech therapy, also called “speech-language pathology,” is treatment for kids who have challenges with language and/or speech. It’s usually provided by special therapists called “speech-language pathologists,” or “SLPs” (say: slipps).
Speech therapy is something that many people take advantage of to improve their communication. While some people use it for a short time, others need to continue speech therapy for the rest of their lives. Most people pay for speech therapy out of pocket, but it is also possible to have insurance coverage for this treatment.
Not every insurance company covers speech therapy, but it is worth checking with your insurer to see if they do. An individual may be more likely to get insurance coverage if they have a medical reason that they need speech therapy. This is why some companies cover speech therapy in the case of stroke recovery, while not covering it for stuttering or other reasons.
If you are having trouble with paying for speech therapy out of pocket, you should contact your insurance company before you purchase any services. You should also find out what type of insurance coverage is available through your employer and any other organizations that you belong to.
If you have a health plan that includes coverage of rehabilitation services, then speech therapy is likely to be covered. Some plans cover speech therapy only in the event of illness or injury; others cover it for developmental delays in children. If your child requires speech therapy due to developmental delays, your health plan may consider speech therapy a form of educational assistance rather than medical care. In this case, some states require insurers to cover speech therapy as part of their required benefits package.
In addition to coverage through your insurance provider, there are several government programs that provide funding for speech therapy and other health services for children with disabilities or special needs. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) both offer benefits to qualifying families with children under age 19 who meet certain criteria related to income and family size.