How does anyone pay for therapy

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)

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amother

Thu, Sep 08 2011, 8:47 pm

My son has very specific issues which are not being addressed by the (not too competant anyway) board of ed/insurance therapists. Everyone here talks about how important it is to deal with these issues and give therapy etc, but how on earth does anyone pay for any of it? Our budget can only be spread that thin........

ElTam

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 2:55 am

Hugs. It is VERY hard. All three of my kids have needed some form of OT. With two of them, it was a medical necessity, so we only paid $20 a visit and we only had to go a few times, like four or less until the problem was resolved. (They had trouble with eating solids, for two different reasons.)

Other DD needed OT for help in school. No medical necessity so we were paying around $60 a visit. Not bad enough to qualify for state services. The therapist wanted us there once a week. Who has an extra $240 a month just lying around. We wound up scrimping a lot, and tapping some savings. We stopped when her teachers said they felt she showed enough improvement, although I'm sure she would have seen more improvement from continuing. It's really hard to know what to do.

SingALong

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 3:32 am

I think most ppl who receive services are covered by BOE or insurance, and don't shell out as much. I rarely hear of people paying privately. Also, when people pay privately, the therapist will sometimes charge at a reduced private pay rate...ask the therapist they may do it...

Ruchel

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 4:21 am

Depending on where you are, you may qualify for very cheap or even free at the hospital?

amother

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 8:55 am

Op here- Looked into all those things but in order to not waste my or my son's and really accomplish anything worthwhile I would have to pay and much more than what any of you have mentioned. I've already done some therapy but now we are wiped out and I'm really feeling guilty about it.

I have told Hashem that if this is the child he has given me and this is what is really necessary for him then he really needs to give me the money to cover it. So far it hasn't materialized so so far no therapy.

These private therapists are charging a fortune and have long waiting lists so obviously people are paying, I just wonder how?

amother

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 10:31 am

I've had a child in therapy long enough to tell you that they may receive a reduced rate but they simply go in debt or scrape by and pay. We've had many diff. insurances over the yrs and they all only pay for 20 sessions with a copay. We did EI when ds was younger and there are free after school programs through the Board of Ed but it is group therapy, not one on one, not at a convenient time and the therapists are hit or miss.

Those who can't afford private at all do the free Board of Ed route. But if your child's issues don't relate to school, he/she likely won't qualify.

ElTam

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 11:58 am

To clarify, $60 was our copay with good insurance through DH's work. It is very, very difficult.

faigyl

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 12:52 pm

Does your child have a diagnosis? My baby does and is registered in NJ as such. EI told us that when she's 3 because she has a diagnosis she will still be eligible for their therapies. (not at home though)

amother

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 1:12 pm

He is ten. There is no specific diagnosis but he has OT and PT issues, social and behavioral issues, and language issues. Each of these is intertwined with the other and "cookie cutter" once in a while therapy just doesn't get us anywhere. He is in a regular school so the sevices offered there are very limited and only school related where his issues are least seen.

the world's best mom

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 1:28 pm

Maybe you should take him to a neurologist or developmental pediatrician or psychologist to get a diagnosis. They may be willing to label him PDD if he has social, behavioral and language issues. Then he would get therapy from the BOE much more easily.

amother

Fri, Sep 09 2011, 1:28 pm

Faigyl, hopefully your child won't need services after pre-k, but starting in elementary school it's a whole different thing. Servces are offered only if your child's delays are significantly impacting school and often the services are less frequent than EI or CPSE and are group therapy. Where we are I would have to pull my son out of school in the middle of the day to take him to our local public school for the therapy (with driving time he would miss many hrs of school per week). There are after school programs but that, again, is group therapy and after 5pm, which, I reality, is kind of inconvenient with other children in the family.

So sending a private therapist to the school is the best option, finances aside.

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