What to expect

Should you have concerns regarding your child’s speech and language development or if a pediatrician/teacher has recommended an evaluation, the following sections address frequently asked questions about what to expect in regard to:

Financial information & insurances accepted
Speech-language evaluations
If recommended, subsequent therapy

Financial Information & Billing

A Speech Path is contracted & in-network with:

Premera Blue Cross
Regence Blue Shield (through June 2024)

We are happy to bill the following insurances as a courtesy to you, however, benefits will be out-of-network:

Regence Blue Shield (after June 2024)
Aetna
Cigna

(For all others, appropriate documentation can be provided to submit for reimbursement.)

While A Speech Path is happy to bill the above-named insurance companies for all services rendered, your coverage is an agreement between you and the insurance company. I will work with you and the insurance company to resolve any of your denied claims; however, all unpaid portions are your responsibility and payment is expected within 21 days of billing. Specific fees will be provided when an evaluation is scheduled based on the services requested. Please contact A Speech Path regarding specific questions about financial information.

Evaluations

Scheduling an evaluation: Please email me at kate@aspeechpathseattle.com, or call 206.321.1185 to schedule an evaluation. After briefly discussing your concerns, an evaluation time and date that works best for your family and child’s schedule will be determined. Expected charges will be provided depending on the type of evaluation needed.

Completing the evaluation information: Following our initial phone call, I will provide the appropriate forms for completion.

At the evaluation: I utilize a variety of informal and formal measures, dependent largely upon your child’s age, strengths and needs. For younger children, it would be helpful for them to bring 1-2 of their own favorite toys and activities to elicit optimum participation. Supplementation of videos from home are often useful for me to observe their natural communication strengths. For older children, I will provide all evaluation resources and materials. Evaluations typically last between 45-60 minutes; when further time is needed, the evaluation is broken up into multiple visits to ensure optimal participation and alertness.

If therapy is recommended:

Utilization of insurance benefits: I will do my best to obtain your insurance benefits prior to the first visit with expected charges. I also provide a worksheet for families to also determine their policy benefits. It is best for both of us to obtain that information to ensure we get the same answers.

Frequency and duration of services: Depending on your child’s needs, I will recommend one to two appointments each week. Each therapy session provides 30-40 minutes of direct services. If you are available following the session, the last 5 minutes will be reserved for a therapy recap and discussion. An additional 10 minutes of indirect service time following the session is utilized to complete session notes documenting progress and planning for subsequent therapy sessions.

Structure of therapy sessions: Each therapy session is individually designed to maximize your child’s communication strengths and support their needs. Since we all learn best when information is personally meaningful to us, therapy is play-based in nature, incorporating targeted practice into activities that your child finds motivating and interesting. The areas targeted and strategies utilized are fine-tuned as skills develop and therapy progresses. Every effort will be made to create a therapy process that is interesting and enjoyable – your child’s engagement is the key to success!

Homework: Communication does not stop once a therapy session is over; I believe strongly in collaboration with the family, empowering you through education to implement strategies and practice within your daily and routine interactions. Your involvement is a vital and invaluable part of your child’s progress. However, I also want to ensure accuracy and near-independence when giving homework, so when learning a new skill, homework may not be appropriate initially.

Working with other providers: I value collaboration among and between professions. If other professionals work with your child, I will ask for your written permission to collaborate with those individuals as appropriate.