Frequently Asked Questions

What is Online Speech Therapy?

Online speech therapy is just like regular speech therapy. But it is more convenient! Studies have proven speech pathology services provided virtually to be as effective or even more effective than in-person speech and language therapy. Not only that, but it saves time, reduces missed sessions, and allows you to work on communication goals in a natural environment.

During virtual therapy, your speech therapist will use many resources. These resources could include screen sharing, a green screen, or real items/toys. Parent coaching involves lots of hands-on training. That way you can continue to support your child between therapy sessions.

Who is Moving Forward Speech Therapy?

For more information, please see the about our speech-language pathologists page.

How Do I Join My Session?

Moving Forward Speech Therapy conducts therapy using a HIPAA compliant version of Google Meet or Zoom. All individuals who join a session will have to wait in a virtual “waiting room”. The clinician will then admit clients. This adds a level of security to your session.

How Fast Does My Internet Need to Be?

For optimal performance, Google Meet requires a speed of at least 2.6 mbps.

How Can I Check My Internet Speed?

In the Google search bar type: speed test. Press the blue button that says “RUN SPEED TEST”.

What Do I Need to Do to Start Therapy?

If you think your child or loved one may need speech or language therapy, please contact us! We would love to help. You can contact us via email or phone today. We offer free consultations to all new clients to determine if we would be a good fit.

What Will the Evaluation Look Like?

Speech and language evaluations for young children typically last about an hour. For older children and adults, evaluations typically last 1-2 hours or more for literacy evaluations.

If multiple areas of communication are a concern, additional testing time may be needed. For longer evaluations, we may need to schedule over one session. Added time will ensure your child can perform their best.

What Happens After the Evaluation?

Your speech-language pathologist will score and analyze the assessments that were completed. You will receive a detailed evaluation report that the therapist will review with you. This report will contain information regarding current performance, areas of strength and weakness, and recommendations.

If needed, speech therapy sessions will be scheduled. We work with you to find a time that is convenient for you.

What if I Have Already Been Evaluated?

In certain cases, we may accept a current speech-language evaluation report from another provider. The evaluation must have been completed in the last 12 months.

If you wish to use a current evaluation to begin services, please discuss this during your initial consultation. We will require a copy of the evaluation report. This lets us ensure it contains all the information we need to start speech therapy.

Do You Accept the Family Empowerment Scholarship (Formerly Gardiner Scholarship)?

Yes! We are approved, direct pay providers. Moving Forward Speech Therapy can bill the Family Empowerment Scholarship/Gardiner Scholarship directly. That means no out-of-pocket expenses and no waiting for reimbursement for you.

Do You Accept Insurance?

At this time, Moving Forward Speech Therapy is a private-pay-only clinic. If you want to submit your claim to your insurance, we will provide you with an invoice.

The invoice will contain all the information your insurance company needs to reimburse you if speech and language therapy is covered. Please check with your insurance provider to ensure speech therapy is a covered service.

Why Should I Choose Private Pay Speech Therapy?

When you choose private pay therapy, you are saying “yes!” to the services your child or family member needs. Insurance companies dictate what services you get. They may also limit the frequency and number of services your child or family member can receive. Some services, like reading therapy, are often not covered by insurance at all.

Private pay therapy means our trained and certified speech-language pathologist will recommend exactly what your loved one needs. No red tape, no limitations, just the best services available to you. Following the recommendations of your therapist will ensure the best progress.

Conducting therapy according to your needs, and not those of your insurance company has a lot of benefits. It means faster progress and, in many cases, shorter overall therapy times.

Additionally, depending on your health insurance plan, you may have to pay out of pocket for most services before meeting your deductible or out-of-pocket max. Therefore, you should feel confident choosing the best provider for you. 

How Much Does Speech Therapy Cost?

We charge the following rates:

30 minutes- $66

45 minutes- $99

60 minutes $132

The one-time evaluation fee varies depending on the type and number of areas we need to assess. We will discuss this with you during your free consultation.

How Long Will my Child Need Speech Therapy?

The amount of therapy time needed is highly variable and depends on several factors, including:

Type and severity of the disorder(s)

Caregiver involvement

Client motivation and engagement

Presence of co-occurring disorders

For additional information or questions regarding speech-language pathology, please see asha.org or contact us.

What Are the No Surprises Act and Good Faith Estimates?

Beginning January 1, 2022, if you’re uninsured or if you opt for self-pay (i.e., not going through your health insurance), health care providers like me must provide you with an estimate of the expected charges before you get an item or service. This is called a good faith estimate (GFE).

Providers and facilities (like mine) must provide you with a GFE if you request one, or after you’ve scheduled a service. It should include the expected charges for all items or services that are provided as part of the same scheduled experience. The provider must provide a list of all items and services associated with your care.

For more information, please visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website at www.cms.gov/nosurprises.