speech therapy

[Grace_Adler]

I hope you didn't think I meant anything by saying special ed. I know when I was a kid and teenager, special ed. kids got joked on because people thought there was something wrong with them and didn't understand that it just means that some kids need help or have special needs in certain areas. There are just some areas they need a little bit of extra help with for many different reasons. Each situation is different. I think special ed. is also what they call it here for kids with special needs, which includes speech therapy.

I'm just wondering though, speech therapy can greatly affect school performance, especially if a child is at an age where they are learning to read and learning phonics. Most children can't learn to read and learn the blends if they don't know what they are saying, especially if they are having a problem with blends.

Many children who get speech therapy, greatly improve in reading. So, I'm wondering, especially since it has been deemed that the child needs it by several professionals, if it would be considered necessary by the judge as well -one of those "extenuating circumstances" that is what is often seen in some child support guidelines.

So with that thought in mind, I'm thinking there is a chance that the judge may award it. Like I said, just an opinion but I don't know about reimbursement. I guess it is a possibility and it never hurts to ask. It depends on what your order says too. However, if the order won't include this, you can see about having it modified to include it. Like I said, see if your state includes "extenuating circumstances" if this isn't considered medical and then find out if speech therapy would be considered an "extenuating circumstance". I don't know for sure but I would think that it would be.

Just a thought. Anyone else know for sure?

 

[CMSC]

I want to add a bit to what grace said. Here (again state laws can vary) if your child has a speech problem that is considered a hinderance on academics. The school should find that there is an educational need for the therapy.

Still trying to figure out where anyone was trying to get the NCP out of paying, I guess I need to keep reading. I think most people were just trying to help BOTH of you cut down the expense.

 

[haiku]

I want to add a bit to what grace said. Here (again state laws can vary) if your child has a speech problem that is considered a hinderance on academics. The school should find that there is an educational need for the therapy.

Still trying to figure out where anyone was trying to get the NCP out of paying, I guess I need to keep reading. I think most people were just trying to help BOTH of you cut down the expense.

I think this thread sheds more light......

https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?threadid=177009

 

[CMSC]

I think this thread sheds more light......

https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?threadid=177009

That it does!

 

[luckymom]

I looked again at the report of the speech pathologist, which stated that my daughter's difficulties (problems articulating particular sounds) are the result of muscular weakness of tongue and jaw muscles. When I spoke to the pediatrician this morning, she confirmed that, in her medical opinion, this was a medical issue. This hasn't, to this point, caused problems academically. She makes good grades, but her teacher has noticed some teasing on the part of classmates. I think there is a good chance that this could be a problem. My daughter is a pretty quiet kid and kids can be pretty mean to each other.

 

[Whyte Noise]

This is from the Federal guidelines as to what constitutes "medical care":

"Section 213(d)(1)(A) provides that medical care includes amounts paid for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body."

That's from the IRC for those interested in looking it up.

Also, according to the IRC the following type of "therapies" are considered reimbursable... and therefore Medical conditions:

X-Ray Treatments
Treatments for Alcohol or Substance Abuse
Acupuncture
Chiropractor Fees
Physical Therapy
Fees to use a swimming pool for exercises prescribed by a physician to alleviate specific medical conditions
Massage Therapy
Speech Therapy

So, according to the Federal Government, Speech Therapy is considered to be a reimburseable medical expense.

"Medical Expense" being the operative word here.

 

[stealth2]

So the solution is pretty clear. Give him copies of the receipts, and if he doesn't reimburse - take it back to court for contempt.

 

[Whyte Noise]

So the solution is pretty clear. Give him copies of the receipts, and if he doesn't reimburse - take it back to court for contempt.

Eyup.

(Go ahead and pronounce it out loud. You know ya wanna. )

 

[luckymom]

Missouri Gal--you are my hero! I cut, pasted, and sent your info to the ex.

 

[stealth2]

It would've been nice if you'd posted that the reason your ex is objecting is because the therapist you are using isn't on the list of approved PPO's from his insurance! So which is it? He doesn't think it's a medical problem, or he thinks you should use an approved PPO so the insurance covers it?

 

[luckymom]

Geez, who are you, the law board police?(Some people really really need to get a life). In any case, ex's initial object was that this wasn't medical. Once it was established that it was "medical,"( Missouri gal's post was useful) his new objection was that the speech therapist wasn't on his PPO list. True, but the reason I chose this particular therapist is because she can go to my daughter's school. Remember I am the one whose job pays for private school, piano and gymnastics, etc. Hence, it is nice if I can show up.

In any case, the new wrinkle, is that his insurance rejected the claim outright. It won't pay for any speech therapy unless the problem involved results from 1)brain injury or stroke resulting in aphasia, etc. 2) speech difficult relating to congenital birth defect such as cleft palate or the like. The good news is that my policy pays for 80%. I knew there was a reason why I was paying for the extra coverage.

It is really clear to me that ex is just suing the issue of my daughter's speech therapy to engage with me (he just likes to keep those e-mails flying), so I am just (as I said above) going to save my receipts and file for reimbursal when I have another problem to take to court. I am sure there will be one . . .

Happy now?

 

[stealth2]

I'm not the only one who reads other boards. And it is a little disconcerting when you're volunteering time to try and help people to find that someone is posting different portions of the same story in different places. How do you expect to get a rational answer when you leave significant portions of the situation out?

 

[Whyte Noise]

luckymom

You may want to check your decree or state's laws.

In "most" instances, the CP has a certain time frame (generally 30 days or so) to submit receipts for uninsured medical to the NCP for reimbursement.

You can't just, as you said.... "save my receipts and file for reimbursal when I have another problem to take to court."

You have to submit the receipts for reimbursement in a "timely matter".

If you don't, he could fight the reimbursement action based on your inaction to supply him with the receipts earlier.

 

[luckymom]

To Stealth--as I suggested this is ongoing conflict, so things have changed since I last posted on this thread. Now the ex has come up with yet another reason not to pay his share. Actually, the reason is I posted on the other site about the situation as it stands now is because I find this site rather personally intense (and I also find the frat boy humor tiresome). The moderators on PL keep that to a minimum.

To Missouri Gal--you're right about the need to keep sending him proof of the out of pocket expenses. My intention is to document that I am sending him the receipts and if he doesn't pay to eventually file after the costs have mounted up. But thanks for the reminder!

 

[imxoz]

school

I live in Oklahoma and am a psychologist with the public school system here. The school would have never tested this child unless they received a referral from the teacher. Then if the tester/assesser acertained she needed something and they tell you that she needed outside help then (in Okla) they have to pay for it. We can't suggested anything like that because of that liability. There are a lot of federal laws on your side. Look into it. Good luck.