Please note that we are only accepting new clients for teletherapy at this time.

Client Center

Questions & Comments

Frequently Asked Questions ~ Preguntas frequentes

How much do services cost? Will services be covered by insurance?

Out-of-pocket costs of an evaluation and ongoing speech-language services vary. Most insurance companies cover services when medically necessary. Billing will always be transparent, straight forward, and simple.​   

I can help you understand your health insurance benefits and will file claims directly on your behalf if you are insured by BlueCross and BlueShield of Illinois, Humana, or UnitedHealthcare. If you use another insurance company, I will provide you with a detailed invoice (superbill) to be submitted for reimbursement.

All clients seeking elective services will be billed as Private Pay. ​Private Pay clients pay a fixed rate that is not billable to insurance. 

Which services are “medically necessary” and which are “elective”?

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid define “medically necessary” as “health care services or supplies needed to prevent, diagnose, or treat an illness, injury, condition, disease, or its symptoms, including habilitation, and that meet accepted standards of medicine.” Developmental deficits requiring habilitation services meet medical necessity. 

‘”Elective” services are services that are not medically necessary, including accent modification and voice therapy for transgender people.

​A comprehensive evaluation of each client’s strengths and areas of need will lead to an individualized treatment plan. Targeted areas for therapy, either medically necessary or elective, will be identified and recommendations for services will be made.

How long are therapy sessions typically?

Speech and language therapy sessions are typically scheduled for 45 minutes but can be shorter or longer in duration depending on an individual’s needs.

How often will therapy sessions be scheduled?

Recommended frequency of therapy sessions will be discussed following a comprehensive evaluation or file review. Typically, clients agree to 1-2 sessions per week. Arrangements of every other week can also be made to maintain skills or in the case of elective services.

What is your cancellation policy?

If a client is unable to attend a scheduled session, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. A late cancellation/no show fee of $50, not billable to insurance, will be charged otherwise. Parents/Guardians will not be penalized for late cancellations due to illness or other extenuating circumstances. Striving for simplicity and efficiency, I ask that clients utilize my Calendly page to reschedule appointments.

Where do therapy sessions occur?

Sessions are typically conducted in a client’s home. Special arrangements can be made for services provided at a daycare or school. Clients receiving teletherapy services should ensure that they have the appropriate materials to participate. Young children often require supervision and/or assistance to participate.

What do I need to prepare for a teletherapy session?

For teletherapy sessions, the HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform I use recommends:

  • Using a Mac/PC/Linux/Chromebook with camera, microphone, and speakers
  • Having an internet connection with at least 10 MBPS
  • Using the latest release versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari 11+

​Teletherapy sessions should take place in a room that is relatively free of distractions. Young children often require supervision and/or assistance to participate. 

Where are you licensed to practice? What impact does that have on service delivery?

​I am a licensed speech-language pathologist in Illinois, California, and Massachusetts. As such, I am able to work with individuals who reside in those states. Together we can discuss options regarding location and method of service delivery (i.e., in-person or via video conferencing) to best meet your individual needs.

Subscribe here to receive updates from Ms. Paula, SLP!
​¡Suscríbase aquí para recibir actualizaciones!