Conquer the High Cost of Speech Therapy

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Families with a speech disordered child often face a financial burden due to the high cost of speech therapy and other needed treatments. In fact, a survey published in Public Health Reports found that 40% of American families with children with special needs report feeling the strain of the financial toll that those healthcare needs cause. The survey further reported that children with disabilities are more likely to grow up in single-parent households, and that those parents often hold lower-paying jobs.

As you can undoubtedly attest to, the mere cost of speech therapy isn’t the only factor in the equation. You’ve probably had to take time off of work numerous times to take your child to speech therapy sessions and other treatment sessions. And you probably spend much of the rest of your time researching new at-home speech therapy techniques and working on articulation practice with your child. In fact, you probably spend your nights in realistic, lucid dreams rehearsing speech therapy techniques. But that’s vastly preferable to dreaming about speech therapy bills and denied insurance forms. And after developing a financial plan of attack with our tips, you may be able to reduce the nightmarishly high cost of speech therapy.

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Paying for Cochlear Implants

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External Parts of Cochlear Implants

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Children are absolutely priceless. But unfortunately, the cost of raising a child has risen nearly 40% from a decade ago, according to CNN Money. Not including paying for college, the average two-parent, middle-income household spends $226,920 raising a child from birth until the age of 18. And that figure will only rise, especially in this turbulent economy with skyrocketing food prices.

Parents of children with special needs often struggle more than most to ensure that their children get the proper medical care and therapies that they need. When a child is born with severe hearing loss, his parents might consider cochlear implants (CI). But the cost of the surgery, the devices themselves, and the maintenance would leave your jaw dropping. Including the surgery and post-operative fees, the average cost of cochlear implants in the U.S. is $50,000 to $100,000, according to the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons. And that doesn’t include purchasing a warranty to cover the cost of replacement parts later on. Fortunately, there is help for low-income families who wish their child to have cochlear implants.

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Autism Support Groups

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Autism Awareness

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These days, people are more aware of autism than ever before. With that awareness comes a growing network of support and services designed to aid families with autistic children. A publication from several researchers at the University of New Hampshire found that providing families with follow-up services after the diagnosis is critical for the best possible outcomes. The publication went on to indicate that families who have access to a network of support gain the greatest benefit in reducing stress, adapting to the diagnosis, and navigating services and programs. The researchers analyzed responses from 55 parents who have autistic children. They found that 68% leaned on friends for support, while 93% requested advice and information from other families with an autistic child. After analyzing the responses, the researchers concluded that support groups are particularly helpful.

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New York Early Intervention Program

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Early intervention services are designed to assist children with developmental delays or disabilities, from birth to 3 years old. Early intervention is federally mandated, but it is administered through the state governments. In New York, the Bureau of Early Intervention is part of the NYS Department of Health. It administers the New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP). EIP was established in Article 25 of the NY Public Health Law. You can read the regulations in their entirety here.

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Indiana Early Intervention Program

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While public school systems are legally required to provide access to services in order to give a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to children with a qualifying disability, different states may implement these programs in different ways. As long as the programs comply with federal law, your state may develop its own special education policies and agencies. Indiana has an early intervention program called First Steps. The First Steps policies emphasize that it takes a family-centered approach. It is not a centrally located state agency, but rather First Steps is a network of locally based professionals and resources.

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Support for Families of Children with Speech Disorders

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After your child is diagnosed with a speech disorder, you’ll likely spend your days looking for a speech therapist, going to IEP meetings, and Googling his speech disorder with every spare minute you have. Raising a child with special needs is a full-time job in itself. If you have more than one child, you’ll also likely need to help the sibling cope with the fact that his little brother or sister has a speech disorder.

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Common Reasons Why a Speech Therapy Insurance Claim is Denied

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Health Insurance Claim Form

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The term “health insurance company” might be synonymous with “red tape,” but your child does not have to be caught in the crosshairs. Understand the common reasons why an insurance claim for speech therapy might be denied before you submit the paperwork. Thoroughly review your healthcare policy and then submit the claim with all of the required supporting documents. Even if your claim does get rejected, you can always file an appeal.

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How to Appeal a Rejected Claim

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Denied Insurance Claim

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Whenever you deal with an insurance company, keep copies of all the paperwork. Make a copy of your submitted claim and all supporting documents. This will ease the process of filing an appeal in the event that your claim is denied. If the insurance company rejects the claim, the first thing to look for is the explanation of the denial. Typically, this will be included in the letter of denial.

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Grants For Speech-Language Therapy

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Speech Therapist Working with Child

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When my daughter was two, and asked “I want a dink, p’ease!,” it was sweet and endearing. When she got to three years old, we started coaching her on the “r,” but she didn’t seem quite ready. Now she’s almost five, and kindergarten starts in the fall. We’re wondering just how much of an issue this is.

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Demystifying Healthcare Coverage

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Health Insurance Papers

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Does your healthcare plan cover speech therapy? No idea? Ask your employer for the packet or book with the comprehensive explanation of benefits. Check the table of contents for sections labeled something like “Speech-Language Pathology,” “Hearing Care,” “Audiology,” or “Speech and Language Benefits.” If you don’t see any of these sections, check for a rehabilitation section or an “Other Services and Therapies” section. You may also find hearing and speech assessment coverage listed under diagnostics.

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