Insurance coverage for stuttering therapy ready for approval in Pennsylvania

By Christina Lengyel | The Center Square

HARRISBURG — Insurance coverage within the commonwealth may soon include speech therapy for stuttering after both houses in the legislature approved the bill and sent it to Gov. Josh Shapiro this week.

The bill received unanimous approval in the Senate Banking and Finance Committee and then received unanimous approval in the full Senate, said sponsor Rep. Brandon Markosek, D-Monroeville,

The measure specifically targets stuttering, requiring insurance plans offered in Pennsylvania to cover speech therapy for children aged 2 to 6 who suffer from the condition, as well as adults who have developed a stutter following traumatic brain injury.

First introduced in the state House by Markosek, the bill drew nearly two dozen sponsors. Among them are 22 Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Robert Mercuri of Pine.

Mr. Makorsek was motivated to introduce this bill by his own experience with stuttering, which he opened up about when the bill moved through the house in June.

“Starting speech therapy at a young age was a game-changer for me, and it helped me build confidence in not letting my stutter define me,” he said. “By ensuring that speech therapy is covered by insurance, we are giving children who stutter the support they need and the opportunity to thrive.”

Stuttering is a neurological disorder that impacts a person’s ability to speak fluently, interrupting their speech. It affects about 5-10% of children at some point in their development.

The disorder manifests in several ways, including repetition, long pauses, adding extra sounds and anxiety around speaking. Though most children’s stuttering resolves before adulthood, the experience can have a lasting effect.

The social impact for those suffering from a stutter is often considerable with many children who stutter reporting incidents of bullying. The downstream effects can result in poor performance at school, mental health challenges and even career obstacles later in life.

The change could represent major financial relief for families affected by stuttering. The average cost of a single speech therapy session runs between $75 and $250, and for many it takes several months of sessions to see results. Even with partial coverage, the cost can quickly become prohibitive.

The bill specifically excludes the cost of therapy provided in school as part of an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP. In Pennsylvania, services provided to students with IEPs are part of the district’s budget and come from a combination of federal, state and local funding, though the state’s education funding struggles have left many students with special needs wanting.