Helpful Information
billing and insurance
Billing & Insurance
Little Palm Speech & Feeding currently only accepts self-pay, but you may be able to receive reimbursement from your insurance company for an out-of-network provider. Learn more about our self-pay fees, as well as information on out-of-network benefits below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where are the sessions located?
A. I come to you! Evaluations and therapy sessions are completed in the comfort of your home. In some cases we can also make arrangements for on-going sessions to take place at your child’s daycare or school. Please let us know if you are interested in teletherapy, as we offer it on a case-by-case basis.
Q. Do I need to be home during the session?
A. Yes a parent or guardian (e.g. babysitter, grandparent) needs to be at home during therapy sessions.
Q. Do you require an evaluation before starting therapy?
A. Yes an evaluation is important to complete in order for us to best understand and support the needs of your child. If your child has had a speech-language evaluation within the last 6 months, we can review the report and determine if additional information/assessment is required. We also require annual re-evaluations in order to track progress and update treatment plans.
Q. How long are therapy sessions?
A. We currently offer 45 minute sessions. We may offer 30- or 60-minute sessions on a case-by-case basis (e.g. if your child requires feeding and speech-language therapy, we may offer a 30 minute feeding session followed by a 30 minute speech-language session if this would work best for your child and family).
Q. How frequently are therapy sessions?
A. Following your child’s evaluation we will recommend a frequency, typically 1-2 times per week.
Q. How long will my child need therapy?
A. This is a question we get asked by parents very frequently, and wish we could give a concrete answer. The reality is that every child and family is different, not only in their strengths and difficulties, but also in how they respond to therapy. Some children begin to respond right away, while with others it takes a bit longer for us to see big signs of progress. At Little Palm we help families celebrate all gains, big and small. The one thing that is consistent, is that the more practice and carryover a child gets at home and throughout the week, the faster we will see success and generalization of the targeted skills! To get the most out of therapy, family involvement is highly recommended.
In general we write therapy goals for a 6-month treatment plan, and at that time the therapist will determine if goals need to be updated and if therapy is still recommended. Your child will be discharged from therapy whenever they meet their goals. In some cases, the therapist will recommend a shorter plan of care with a focus on family training to carryover strategies.
Q. Our toddler isn’t talking yet, should we “wait and see”?
A. The advice to “wait and see” is outdated and we do not recommend it. Research tells us that early intervention is key to supporting language delays. We aim to support your child and family early so that we can collaboratively create an environment that is ideal for learning language and communication skills.
Q. Can I be part of my child’s therapy session?
A. Absolutely! We encourage parents to participate so that they can see the strategies and supports in action and can practice them with their child in a supportive setting. This is especially true for feeding sessions and early language sessions. We adjust our parent training to meet your family’s needs and learning style. Some families learn through observing, others participate in sessions and get feedback, and others prefer handouts for new strategies and supports. We understand that some children respond differently when parents are around, and you may prefer in some cases for sessions to be with the therapist only. If needed, we will create alternate plans to get families the education and training they need to best support their child outside of therapy if they are not able to directly observe the session.
Q. Do you accept insurance?
A. We currently only accept private pay, but you may be able to receive reimbursement from your insurance company for an out-of-network provider. Please find more information on our private pay fees and out-of-network reimbursement below. The therapist will provide you with the information you need upon request. Additionally, check out our out-of-network benefits guide.
Q. What is your attendance and cancellation policy?
A. Consistency is key when it comes to progress in therapy, as with learning any new skill! Of course we understand that life happens and sometimes you need to cancel. We ask that you cancel by 8am on the day of your appointment via text or email. We also ask that you try to reschedule your session when you need to cancel. Late cancels after 8am the morning of your appointment will incur a $25 cancellation fee. A no-show (i.e. cancelling 20 minutes or less before your session, or the therapist arrives and you/your child are not home), will result in a a fee of 50% of the session cost. We do understand emergencies happen, such as sudden illness, and will accommodate such extenuating circumstances, as long as they do not become a pattern. If cancellations become a frequent occurrence, we will problem solve to see if another time works better for your family, or determine if it is best to take a break from therapy.
Our attendance policy helps ensure your child has consistent sessions in order to make progress, as well as helps the therapist serve as many families as possible.
Q. My child didn’t qualify for Early Steps/school-based services, can you still work with them?
A. Yes, we are often able to support and provide services to children who did not qualify for early intervention through Early Steps or school services, but still demonstrate a need for additional therapy support.
Q. My child receives Early Steps/school-based services, can you still work with them?
A. Yes, we recognize some children require more support than is provided to them with EI or school-based services. It is not uncommon for children to benefit from additional therapy outside of what they receive through EI or school.
Q. What ages do you work with?
A. For feeding services, we work with children 8 months to 7 years old. For language services, we work with children 16 months to 5 years old. For speech services, we work with children 2.5-12 years of age. If your child falls outside of these age ranges, you are welcome to reach out to see if we can accommodate you.
FAQ
Fees & Out-Of-Network Benefits
How much do services cost?
Initial Evaluation:
$250.00: This includes a full assessment of your child with a written treatment plan and home program/recommendations. This does not include a detailed written report, but goals/treatment plan only.
$350.00: Full assessment with detailed report. You must choose this option if you need a report with detailed information to share with other providers (e.g. OT, ENT, neuropsychologist, child’s school, pediatrician). Your insurance company may ask for this documentation if you choose to submit a SuperBill for out-of-network reimbursement. Please check with your insurance provider before the evaluation to see if they will need this documentation.
Re-evaluations are required annually with the same costs.
Therapy Sessions:
$150.00 per in-person 45-50-minute session
40 minutes of direct treatment, allowing 5 minutes for transitions at start/end of session, and up to 5 additional minutes for discussion with parent at end of session. This cost also covers travel to your home, time outside of session for planning and documentation, and materials.
$120 per 45 minute telehealth session
Please let us know if you are interested in telehealth. Telehealth sessions will be offered on a case-by-case basis.
6-month Progress Report:
$50 additional fee
A 6-month progress summary will be completed upon request.
Parent Coaching Wellness Sessions:
These sessions are designed to provide parent support, reassurance, and individualized guidance when there are not developmental, health, or weight gain concerns present for transitioning to solids (4-7 months of age) or early language development (9-14 months of age).
$150.00/60 mins, $115/45 mins, $80/30 mins plus a $30 travel fee if in person
How does out-of-network reimbursement work?
This is the responsibility of the family to arrange this with your insurance provider. We can provide you with a "SuperBill,” which includes diagnostic and procedure codes that can be submitted to your insurance company. We cannot guarantee out-of-network reimbursement.
There are a few common things that many families do not realize regarding their insurance when deciding on in-network and out-of-network therapy options:
You will likely have to pay out-of-pocket for services until you meet your deductible even if you see an in-network therapist.
If the deductible is high (as many are these days) you may even be discharged from therapy before your deductible is ever met and your insurance begins covering services.
Payment for out-of-network services should count (full or partially) towards your deductible, as well.
Even after a deductible is met, the family is still often responsible for coinsurance with in-network providers, which may be similar to the cost of out-of-network services once your deductible is met.
It is important to understand your policy to make an informed decision about where to receive care. Our rates are below the standard cost of out-of-network services in our area.
Out-Of-Network Benefits