Building and explaining an AAC specialty

For speech-language pathology practices serving children, adults or both, with the OTs and PTs who assess access: an AAC specialty is an evaluation, trial, funding and support service, not a device sale. Write down what your clinicians can competently provide, close the gaps, and publish only that, with funding routes and partner training explained.

This guide covers building the service and the words that describe it. The wider build of a speech practice is in the speech-language pathology startup guide, the codes are in the speech therapy CPT codes guide, and the family-facing explanation of who pays for a device is the AAC device funding guide.

What does an AAC specialty in a speech-language practice include?

An evaluation, trials of possible systems, a recommendation with the report funders ask for, treatment, partner training and follow-up, each provided by clinicians competent for the people named on the page. ASHA describes AAC as an area of clinical practice that supplements or compensates for impairments in speech-language production or comprehension, spoken and written, across the lifespan; it can add to existing speech, replace speech that is absent or not functional, or serve for a short time, as after surgery.⁠¹

The forms are wider than any device. Unaided AAC, such as manual signs and gestures, needs no external tool; aided AAC uses one, from picture and letter boards to speech-generating devices.⁠¹ ASHA states there are no prerequisites for AAC intervention, treats anyone whose communication abilities do not meet their needs as a candidate, and supports a zero-exclusion policy.⁠¹ SLPs play a central role in AAC assessment and treatment, and ASHA’s scope document lists documenting trial results for selecting AAC technology as SLP work.⁠^1,10

Before any marketing, write a capability statement: what the practice can provide, by whom, for whom, and where it refers. The website, the listing and the intake script are later written from it.

Is a course or a purchased device enough to claim AAC competence?

No. ASHA’s Code of Ethics limits certified clinicians to areas within their scope and competence, judged by certification status, education, training and experience, and its AAC portal says an SLP without adequate experience or training refers to, or at minimum consults with, an SLP experienced in AAC.⁠^1,2 The Code also calls for a referral when the technology a person needs is not available to the clinician.⁠²

Specialty certification is a separate matter. ASHA says no specialty certification is needed to practice in any part of the SLP scope, while recognizing the American Board of Augmentative and Alternative Communication among the boards awarding the Board Certified Specialist designation; use that title only for a clinician who holds it, since the Code forbids misrepresenting credentials.⁠^2,11 The specialty training and equipment guide covers judging a course or a purchase.

How do you know your practice is ready to offer AAC services?

When every part of the service has a named clinician, a resource and a fallback, and the website claim is the last thing to change. ASHA’s list of SLP roles in AAC shows what sits behind the word: training families and professionals, referring to other disciplines, programming and technical support, trialing additional systems, writing reports for funders and knowing each funding source’s requirements.⁠¹

Where can a practice find AAC systems for device trials?

From its own stock, from loan programs, and from more than one manufacturer. ASHA’s school guidance names partnering with a state tech-act agency or a regional or state support center for loaner and trial equipment, and the Assistive Technology Act funds a program in every state and territory.⁠^1,7 The Administration for Community Living funds one such program in each state, DC, Puerto Rico and the outlying areas.⁠¹² Range matters for funding too: ASHA notes that a payer may ask the SLP to compare devices from different manufacturers or product lines.⁠⁷

How do occupational and physical therapists fit into AAC services?

As the clinicians who answer the access and positioning questions, while the SLP leads the communication evaluation. ASHA says physical and occupational therapists assist with positioning and selection methods, suggests their input when choosing accessories such as mounts and keyguards, and names their help with positioning for telepractice evaluations.⁠^1,7 An OT or PT practice can state that referral role plainly, and the communication recommendation stays with the SLP: Medicare’s device policy requires the formal evaluation to be an SLP’s.⁠⁴ HHS counts consultation between providers about a patient as treatment under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.⁠¹³

How do pediatric and adult AAC services differ in a private practice?

In who sets the goals, who the partners are, and which systems pay; the evaluation’s core is the same. ASHA’s portal lists congenital causes beside acquired ones such as stroke, brain injury and primary progressive aphasia, and the table draws on its goals, partner and adult considerations.⁠¹

For children, the device or board is the child’s voice, not a reward to earn: ASHA says people who use AAC should always have access to their communication tools, and that screen-time concerns do not apply to screens used for AAC.⁠¹

For adults, write to the adult. ASHA notes that adult AAC choice may be highly contextual and points to comfort with technology, work-related communication such as calls and email, and whether the need is temporary or progressive.⁠¹ Consent belongs to the adult: ASHA’s Code requires informed consent about services and technology and, where diminished decision-making ability is suspected, authorization such as a legally authorized representative’s.⁠² The adult speech therapy clients guide covers reaching adults and their referrers.

What does IDEA require of schools for AAC, and where does a practice fit?

IDEA puts the duty on the public agency; a private practice fits in only as far as the family asks. The regulations define an assistive technology device as any item, equipment or product system used to increase, maintain or improve a child’s functional capabilities, and an assistive technology service as one that directly helps a child select, acquire or use it, an evaluation in the child’s customary environment included.⁠^15,16

The public agency must make devices or services available when the child’s special education, related services or supplementary aids and services require them, and the IEP team decides case by case whether the child needs the school’s device at home.⁠⁵ In developing each IEP, the team has to consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services.⁠¹⁷ For infants and toddlers, Part C lists assistive technology among early intervention services, provided under public supervision, chosen with the parents and following the IFSP.⁠¹⁸ A practice’s report can inform the school team when the parent shares it, but the school decides what the IEP provides, so never suggest that a school plan funds the clinic’s own services; the IEP teams guide covers working alongside schools.

What changes when an adult’s communication needs are progressive?

Timing. ASHA asks clinicians to weigh temporary against progressive needs, to include prognosis in the case history, and, near the end of life, to keep access methods flexible as physical abilities change.⁠¹ Voice banking should happen while energy and skills still produce clear speech, and message banking records a person’s own messages for later use, so intake for a progressive condition raises both early.⁠¹ The page can say the practice starts before speech is lost, without setting a timeline for anyone’s condition.

What happens in an AAC evaluation, in plain language?

The SLP finds out what the person needs to say, to whom and where, how they can reach a system, and which options work in trials, often over several sessions. ASHA calls AAC assessment an ongoing process that continues after a system is chosen, and notes that device trials are often part of treatment and that success with a specific device may not be clear at the first assessment.⁠¹ A public page can walk a family or an adult through it:

1. A first conversation. What communication looks like now and what the person wants to say, to whom; ASHA’s components include the person’s own goals and preferences.⁠¹
2. History and records. Records often hold part of the assessment already, and the history includes the prognosis where a condition may progress.⁠¹
3. Vision, hearing and access. Glasses and hearing aids are worn, and the SLP looks at how the person can reach a system, with OT or PT help where needed.⁠¹
4. Language and feature matching. What the person understands and uses, in the languages they need, and system features matched to their skills, needs and preference.⁠¹
5. Trials. Options tried in daily routines before a recommendation.⁠¹
6. Recommendation, report and training. The written recommendation, any report a payer requires, and teaching the person and their partners.⁠^1,7

Say what the fee includes and who answers technical as opposed to clinical questions. ASHA calls evaluation by telepractice complex and lists needs such as a facilitator trained to set up the device, so offer remote sessions only for the stages your setup supports.⁠¹

Why should no quiz, vendor or purchase come before the evaluation?

Because the recommendation is a clinical judgment the evaluation produces. ASHA says vendors may help with funding questions and templates but do not replace a comprehensive AAC evaluation, and its Code requires independent, evidence-based clinical judgment.⁠^2,7 For Medicare, the evaluating SLP cannot be the supplier’s employee or have a financial relationship with it.⁠⁴ So the page carries no quiz that claims to pick a device, no package bundling a device with the evaluation, and no purchase before the pathway is explained.

How are AAC devices and services funded for children and adults?

Separately: the SLP’s evaluation and treatment are billed as speech-language pathology services, while the device goes through the payer’s equipment benefit, a school, early intervention or the family. ASHA notes that speech-generating devices are durable medical equipment whose funding varies by payer, that the SLP must justify medical necessity, and that low-tech systems an SLP makes do not typically need or qualify for added funding.⁠⁷

State assistive technology programs are not payers; ASHA points to them for loaner and trial equipment, and each includes financing activities.⁠^1,12 The family guide on AAC device funding explains these routes in plain language, vocational rehabilitation and the VA included.

What must an SLP’s evaluation show for Medicare to cover a device?

The impairment’s type, severity and anticipated course, whether natural modes could meet daily needs, the functional goals, the rationale for the device and each accessory, a treatment plan with a training schedule, and the abilities to use the device: Medicare’s equipment contractors require at least those elements in a formal written evaluation before delivery.⁠⁴ National Coverage Determination 50.1, effective July 29, 2015, places speech-generating devices in the durable medical equipment benefit for patients with a severe speech impairment and a medical condition that warrants one; it treats computers and tablets as generally not equipment and leaves features unrelated to speaking needs as the patient’s cost.⁠³

The evaluation is the first of seven criteria in the contractors’ local coverage determination, L33739, revised effective October 1, 2024:⁠⁴

1. Before delivery, an SLP’s formal written evaluation of cognition and communication.⁠⁴
2. A medical condition that causes a severe expressive speech impairment.⁠⁴
3. Speaking needs that natural communication methods cannot meet.⁠⁴
4. Other treatment options considered and ruled out.⁠⁴
5. A speech impairment the ordered device is expected to benefit.⁠⁴
6. A copy of the SLP’s evaluation and recommendation with the treating practitioner before the device is ordered.⁠⁴
7. An evaluating SLP who is not the supplier’s employee and has no financial relationship with it.⁠⁴

Accessories such as eye tracking meet the same criteria plus their own.⁠⁴ ASHA adds that Medicare may not cover AAC devices in every setting, such as skilled nursing facilities and hospice.⁠⁷

Which procedure codes cover AAC evaluation and device treatment?

Six CPT codes, named here by number. 92605, with add-on 92618, is the evaluation for a system that does not generate speech, and 92606 is treatment with one; 92607, with add-on 92608, is the evaluation for a speech-generating device, and 92609 is treatment for using one, programming included.⁠²⁰ ASHA reports that Medicare treats 92605 as bundled with any other speech-language pathology service that day and does not pay non-speech-generating device services billed alone, and that 92608 may cover an evaluation spanning several days but is never billed without 92607.⁠²⁰ Other payers set their own rules; the speech therapy CPT codes guide covers modifiers and edits.

The device goes on the supplier’s claim, not the SLP’s.⁠⁴ For Medicare Part B treatment visits, an SLP’s plan of treatment needs certification by a physician, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant, recertified at least every 90 days; the physician order and referral guide explains when an order changes that.⁠²¹

How do Medicaid and private plans handle AAC requests?

Each by its own rules. ASHA points SLPs to their state’s Medicaid guidelines, and the federal rule describes speech services as provided on referral by a physician or other licensed practitioner, with necessary supplies and equipment.⁠^7,22 For a child under 21, EPSDT obliges the state to cover any Medicaid-coverable service found medically necessary, whether or not its plan lists it; the EPSDT guide covers that benefit.⁠⁶ For adults, without EPSDT, the state’s equipment rules decide: federal Medicaid rules do not restrict coverage to Medicare’s equipment list, bar absolute exclusions, require a way to request items not on a state’s list, and require a state denying a request to give notice of the right to a fair hearing.⁠¹⁴

Private plans vary more: ASHA advises checking with the payer before starting to obtain a dedicated device, and HealthCare.gov lists rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices among every Marketplace plan’s essential health benefits, varying by state.⁠^7,19

How do you train families, teachers and other communication partners?

As part of the service from the first session, not as an add-on sold later. ASHA calls communication partners integral to assessment and treatment, has the SLP train several of them, including other professionals, and lists the skills involved: active listening, longer wait time for turns, augmented input, and running high-tech devices from charging to programming and troubleshooting.⁠¹ It names inadequate partner training as a barrier to device use, and notes that a device used only at home, not at school or work, may not be fully effective.⁠¹

Medicare’s device policy asks for a treatment plan with a training schedule, and IDEA’s assistive technology service includes training for the family and the professionals around a child.⁠^4,16 Write partner training into the plan of care, the schedule and the fee explanation.

Who may receive information when you train an AAC user’s partners?

The person, or a child’s parent, decides, within the Privacy Rule and state law. HIPAA applies to covered entities, which for a health care provider means one that transmits health information electronically in a transaction HHS has set a standard for.⁠²³ HHS explains that a provider may share with family or friends involved in a person’s care when the person agrees or does not object, and that a parent is usually a minor child’s personal representative, with state law setting the limits.⁠^24,25 For school staff, an employer or a day program, get written permission naming what is shared and with whom; ASHA’s Code allows disclosure of confidential information only when legally authorized or required.⁠²

What should the AAC service and support matrix show?

What the practice provides for each part of the service, what it does not, and who answers questions. It is an operating tool, not a clinical checklist, and an element the practice cannot provide is stated, not hidden.

How do you market an AAC specialty without overpromising?

Describe the process and its limits, not a result or a device. ASHA’s Code allows a reasonable statement of prognosis but bars promising the results of any treatment, directly or by implication, and bars misrepresenting services, competence or credentials in public statements.⁠² That rules out an "AAC center" banner over one trained clinician with low-tech materials and no access assessment. Phrases to take off a page:

• "The best device for every child": say the evaluation and trials decide what fits each person.
• "Talking in weeks" or "instant independence": say how progress is reviewed and with whom.
• "Insurance always pays": say which payers the practice writes reports for, and that the payer decides.
• A device brand as the service: name the evaluation, trials, training and follow-up instead; a payer may ask the SLP to compare devices from different manufacturers.⁠⁷
• Copy implying an AAC user cannot understand or choose: ASHA states that impaired cognition does not preclude communication.⁠¹

How should a practice handle money or perks from AAC device makers?

Avoid the tie where you can, and disclose it where you cannot. ASHA requires an SLP writing AAC evaluations and funding requests to disclose any financial relationship with device manufacturers and to certify that the recommendation rests on the evaluation, not a financial incentive; its Code requires disclosure and management of any conflict of interest that cannot be avoided.⁠^2,7 For a Medicare device request, the evaluating SLP may have no financial relationship with the supplier at all.⁠⁴ If the practice endorses a device in its marketing, the FTC’s endorsement guides require a connection with the seller that could affect the endorsement’s weight and that the audience would not expect, such as payments or free products, to be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.⁠²⁶ And HHS states that covered entities may not sell lists of patients to third parties without each person’s authorization.⁠²⁷

Can a practice post videos or stories of people who use AAC?

Only with written authorization, and only what was agreed. HHS explains that, with limited exceptions, the Privacy Rule requires written authorization before protected health information is used or disclosed for marketing.⁠²⁷ For a child, the parent usually signs as personal representative; HHS notes that someone with only limited authority over specific health decisions should not sign a marketing authorization.⁠²⁵ An adult who uses AAC normally signs for themselves, and the consent conversation happens through their own communication system, with time to answer.

Which approaches does ASHA advise practices not to offer as AAC?

Facilitated communication and the Rapid Prompting Method. ASHA’s position is that facilitated communication is a discredited technique that should not be used, and that information obtained through it should not be considered the person’s communication; it does not recommend the Rapid Prompting Method, citing prompt dependency and the lack of scientific validity.⁠²⁸ Leave both off the service list and the page.

How should a practice website introduce its AAC services?

With what the practice provides, for whom, where and how to start, in plain words, before any device appears. Write separate pages for children and adults; the pediatric and adult service page guides cover the structure. Adapt this opening, deleting every sentence that is not true of the practice:

Give each supporting article a distinct task, such as preparing for an evaluation, not a run of near-identical pages named after devices. For autistic children and adults, the neurodiversity-affirming content guide covers language and goals on the page. Offer a way to make contact without a phone call, since a person who uses AAC may not phone; the accessible inquiry forms guide is the model. If AAC is offered at one location only, say so on each location page, as the multi-location guide describes.

How should a DrSensory listing describe an AAC service?

In the clinic’s own words and tags, as far as the capability statement goes. DrSensory is a free directory where families look for occupational, physical and speech therapy clinics serving children and adults in all 50 states and Washington, DC; it lists clinics, one listing per practice address, rather than individual therapists.⁠^9,29 AAC is among the services a clinic can tag in the listing editor, and the claim guide asks clinics to pick only the tags they treat or offer routinely.⁠⁸

There is no charge to claim a listing. A paid listing, $29.99 a month or $349.99 a year for the first location with no contract, adds a description of up to 1,200 characters in the clinic’s words, a logo, up to five photos, hours, specialties, ages and conditions treated, the website link, reviews with replies, and family inquiries read in the clinic’s portal.⁠^9,29 Without a paid plan, a family’s message reaches the DrSensory team, who try to forward it to the clinic on the family’s behalf, with no assurance that the clinic receives or answers it.⁠²⁹

DrSensory makes no check of clinical quality, sells no leads, promises no rankings and does not approve a clinic’s text before it goes live, so an AAC tag is the clinic’s own statement.⁠^8,9 A family browsing speech therapy clinics still confirms AAC capability with the clinic, so the description names the ages served, who evaluates and what is referred out; the profile guide covers the editor.

How do you check whether the AAC page draws the right inquiries?

From the practice’s own inquiry log, reviewed each quarter in aggregate and without names. Note the AAC inquiries the practice could not serve, such as an age it does not see, an access method it cannot assess or a request to buy a device outright; a cluster of one kind means the page is unclear about that limit.

What does building an AAC service look like in two practices?

One pediatric and one adult practice, each starting from the capability statement rather than the website.

Sources

1. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) (ASHA Practice Portal, professional topic; Overview, Key Issues: roles and responsibilities, AAC populations, AAC systems, assessment, treatment, communication partner training, setting considerations and barriers). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “The scope of this page is augmentative and alternative communication across the lifespan.”; “Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is an area of clinical practice that supplements or compensates for impairments in speech-language production and/or comprehension, including spoken and written modes of communication.”; “AAC is augmentative when used to supplement existing speech, alternative when used in place of speech that is absent or not functional, or temporary as when used by patients postoperatively in intensive care”; the techniques and tools it lists include “manual signs”; “gestures”; “picture communication boards and letter boards”; “speech-generating devices”; and it divides AAC into unaided forms, which “do not require an external tool”; and aided forms, which “require some form of external tool, either electronic or nonelectronic”; “Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play a central role in the screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of persons requiring AAC intervention.”; among the roles it lists for SLPs: “Provide training for medical and allied health professionals, educators, family members, and community members about AAC use and the impact of AAC on quality of life.”; “Refer to other professionals (rehabilitation engineer, AT professional, occupational therapist, physical therapist, music therapist, vision specialist, special educator, respite care worker) to facilitate access to comprehensive services, reduce barriers, and maximize opportunities for successful AAC use.”; “Involve individuals and family members in decision making to the greatest extent possible throughout the assessment and intervention process.”; “Provide programming support, technical support, trialing of additional systems, and AAC/language development strategies, as necessary.”; “Generate reports to help with funding and collaborate with funding agencies.”; “Know about funding sources and the requirements for applying for funding from each source.”; for school-based SLPs: “Consider the student’s need for AT, including AAC.”; “Provide initial and ongoing training to teachers, parents, and support staff about AAC and the needs of students who use AAC.”; “If an SLP has inadequate experience/training and is unable to assist an AAC user, an SLP refers to or (at minimum) consults with an SLP with experience in AAC.”; “Individuals with congenital disabilities may continue to acquire language while using AAC.”; acquired disabilities that may benefit from AAC include “cerebrovascular accidents (i.e., stroke);”; “traumatic or acquired brain injuries;”; “primary progressive aphasia, and”; “People who use AAC should always have access to their communication tools or devices. Concerns about the overuse of screen time, particularly for young children, do not apply to the use of screens as part of an AAC system.”; “Voice banking should be completed when a communicator’s energy and skills are sufficient to generate clear speech.”; “Through message banking, an individual can use their own voice or a proxy voice to digitally record and store messages”; “AAC assessment is an ongoing process; ongoing evaluation and decision making are required, even after an AAC system has been selected.”; “Many components of the comprehensive assessment may already be documented in an individual’s records”; its typical components include “prognosis and potential for disease progression, when applicable”; “individual’s goals and preferences”; “physical/motor status”; “means of access to the AAC system (positioning, fine motor, gross motor)”; “Based on individual skills and needs, determine appropriate AAC system features”; “AAC user preference,”; “Lack of family involvement in the AAC process is cited as a significant factor in device abandonment.”; “The assessment should be conducted in the language(s) needed by the AAC user.”; “If the individual (and/or communication partner) wears hearing aids or prescription eyeglasses, these should be worn during the assessment.”; “Trials of specific devices are often a component of AAC treatment, and an individual’s success with a specific device may not be effectively determined upon initial assessment.”; “For individuals using aided approaches, intervention may include customization of vocabulary, rate enhancement features that allow users to produce language with fewer keystrokes, and updates to software for high-tech devices.”; “Physical and occupational therapists assist with positioning and selection methods for AAC users.”; “Communication partners are integral to the assessment and treatment process.”; partner training includes “using active listening strategies;”; “increasing wait time for conversational turn-taking;”; “using augmented input to facilitate communication”; “understanding the operational aspects of high-tech devices (e.g., turning the device on and off; charging and storing the device; programming; and troubleshooting); and”; “The SLP trains multiple communication partners, including other professionals who work with the AAC user.”; “Inadequate training of communication partners has been identified as a barrier to device use in addition to limitations of the AAC device itself and insufficient involvement in device selection”; “Successful integration of AAC devices depends on the consistency of use. For instance, a device may not be maximally effective if it is used only at home but not in other situations (e.g., school or the workplace).”; “There are no prerequisites for AAC intervention”; “All individuals are considered candidates for AAC intervention if their communication abilities do not meet communication needs. The time and effort involved to implement AAC should not be a reason for exclusion from intervention.”; “ASHA aligns with the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities (NJC) in support of a zero-exclusion policy for AAC services.”; for school settings, it suggests “partnering with a state tech-act agency or a regional or state support center to obtain materials and equipment for loaner and trial periods;”; “Special considerations should be made when evaluating and treating adults as AAC choice may be highly contextual. Temporary needs versus progressive needs should be considered.”; “the individual’s comfort level with technology;”; “considerations for work-related communication (e.g., conference calls, e-mails, etc.)”; “Effective AAC assessment via telepractice is a complex process.”; “the availability of not only a facilitator but also instruction and training for this individual to set up the device prior to evaluation;”; “the need for interdisciplinary collaboration with physical and/or occupational therapy to establish optimal positioning for access prior to or during the evaluation process; and”; at the end of life, the SLP considers “flexibility of access method as physical abilities change or decline;”; “Potential AAC users may believe that AAC reduces motivation to improve natural speech and delays language development. However, AAC use may help improve natural speech when used in a multimodal approach”; “Consumers and professionals may think that young children are not ready for AAC until they reach school age.”; “impaired cognition does not preclude communication”.
2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Code of Ethics (ASHA policy document, effective March 1, 2023; Principles of Ethics I, II and III and their Rules). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “Individuals shall provide all clinical services and scientific activities competently.”; “Individuals shall use every resource, including referral and/or interprofessional collaboration when appropriate, to ensure that quality service is provided.”; “Individuals shall obtain informed consent from the persons they serve about the nature and possible risks and effects of services provided, technology employed, and products dispensed.”; “If diminished decision-making ability of persons served is suspected, individuals should seek appropriate authorization for services, such as authorization from a legally authorized/appointed representative.”; “they shall provide services or dispense products only when benefit can reasonably be expected”; “Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence shall use independent and evidence-based clinical judgment, keeping paramount the best interests of those being served.”; “Individuals may make a reasonable statement of prognosis, but they shall not guarantee”; (the rule continues) “the results of any treatment or procedure”; “Individuals shall protect the confidentiality of information about persons served professionally or participants involved in research and scholarly activities. Disclosure of confidential information shall be allowed only when doing so is legally authorized or required by law.”; “Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence shall engage in only those aspects of the professions that are within the scope of their professional practice and competence, considering their certification status, education, training, and experience.”; “Individuals shall use technology and instrumentation consistent with accepted professional guidelines in their areas of practice. When such technology is warranted but not available, an appropriate referral should be made.”; “Individuals shall not misrepresent their credentials, competence, education, training, experience, or scholarly contributions.”; “Individuals shall not misrepresent diagnostic information, services provided, results of services provided, products dispensed, effects of products dispensed, or research and scholarly activities.”; “Individuals shall avoid engaging in conflicts of interest whereby a personal, professional, financial, or other interest or relationship could influence their objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in performing professional responsibilities. If such conflicts of interest cannot be avoided, proper disclosure and management is required.”; “Individuals’ statements to the public shall adhere to prevailing professional standards and shall not contain misrepresentations when advertising, announcing, or promoting their professional services, products, or research.”.
3. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. National Coverage Determination (NCD) Speech Generating Devices (50.1) (Medicare Coverage Database; Publication 100-3, section 50.1, version 2, effective July 29, 2015; benefit category Durable Medical Equipment). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “Speech generating devices are considered to fall within the durable medical equipment (DME) benefit category established by §1861(n) of the Social Security Act.”; “They are covered for patients who suffer from a severe speech impairment and have a medical condition that warrants the use of a device based on the following definitions.”; “Speech generating devices are speech aids consisting of devices or software that generate speech and are used solely by the individual who has a severe speech impairment.”; one of the listed methods is “software that allows a computer or other electronic device to generate audible/verbal speech.”; “Computers and tablets are generally not considered DME because they are useful in the absence of an illness or injury.”; “Internet or phone services or any modification to a patient’s home to allow use of the speech generating device are not covered by Medicare”; “specific features of a speech generating device that are not used by the individual who has a severe speech impairment to meet his or her functional speaking needs are not covered.”; “These features of a speech generating device do not fall within the scope of § 1861(n) of the Social Security Act and the cost of these features are the responsibility of the beneficiary.”; “Suppliers of speech generating devices are encouraged to furnish the beneficiary with a voluntary Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN), or similar notice, which informs that these features are not covered”.
4. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Local Coverage Determination (LCD) Speech Generating Devices (SGD) (L33739) (Medicare Coverage Database; the DME Medicare Administrative Contractors’ policy, original effective date October 1, 2015, revision effective for services on or after October 1, 2024). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “A speech generating device (SGD) (E2500, E2502, E2504, E2506, E2508, E2510, E2511) is covered when all of the following criteria (1-7) are met:”; “Prior to the delivery of the SGD, the beneficiary has had a formal evaluation of their cognitive and communication abilities by a speech-language pathologist (SLP).”; the written evaluation must include, at a minimum, “Current communication impairment, including the type, severity, language skills, cognitive ability, and anticipated course of the impairment;”; “An assessment of whether the individual’s daily communication needs could be met using other natural modes of communication;”; “A description of the functional communication goals expected to be achieved and treatment options;”; “Rationale for selection of a specific device and any accessories;”; “Demonstration that the beneficiary possesses a treatment plan that includes a training schedule for the selected device;”; “The cognitive and physical abilities to effectively use the selected device and any accessories to communicate;”; the further criteria include “The beneficiary’s medical condition is one resulting in a severe expressive speech impairment”; “The beneficiary’s speaking needs cannot be met using natural communication methods”; “Other forms of treatment have been considered and ruled out”; “A copy of the SLP’s written evaluation and recommendation have been forwarded to the beneficiary’s treating practitioner prior to ordering the device”; “The SLP performing the beneficiary evaluation may not be an employee of or have a financial relationship with the supplier of the SGD.”; “If one or more of the SGD coverage criteria 1-7 is not met, the SGD will be denied as not reasonable and necessary.”; “Claims for accessories to SGDs must meet the general coverage requirements for the base SGD described in criteria 1-7 above.”; “Alternative input devices are covered when a beneficiary is unable to use standard input devices.”; “Eye tracking, gaze interaction and electromyographic sensor accessories for speech generating devices are covered when furnished to individuals with a demonstrated medical need for such accessories.”; “A Standard Written Order (SWO) must be communicated to the supplier before a claim is submitted.”.
5. eCFR. 34 CFR 300.105 Assistive technology (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B regulations). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “(a) Each public agency must ensure that assistive technology devices or assistive technology services, or both, as those terms are defined in §§ 300.5 and 300.6, respectively, are made available to a child with a disability if required as a part of the child’s”; “(1) Special education under § 300.39; (2) Related services under § 300.34; or (3) Supplementary aids and services under §§ 300.42 and 300.114(a)(2)(ii).”; “(b) On a case-by-case basis, the use of school-purchased assistive technology devices in a child’s home or in other settings is required if the child’s IEP Team determines that the child needs access to those devices in order to receive FAPE.”.
6. Medicaid.gov. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, benefits page). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children under age 21 who are enrolled in Medicaid.”; “States are required to provide any additional 1905(a) services that are coverable under the Federal Medicaid program and found to be medically necessary to treat, correct, or reduce illnesses and conditions discovered regardless of whether the service is covered in a state’s Medicaid plan.”; “It is the responsibility of states to determine medical necessity on a case-by-case basis.”.
7. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) (ASHA Practice Portal, professional topic; Key Issues, Reimbursement and Funding). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “SLPs who provide AAC services should be familiar with funding options, including knowledge of public and private funding sources, how funding is determined, and how advocacy may affect funding.”; “Low-tech or light-tech AAC systems are typically created by an SLP and do not typically require or qualify for additional amounts of funding.”; “SGDs are considered durable medical equipment (DME), and funding by third-party payers can vary.”; “The SLP must justify that the device being ordered is medically necessary in order to receive third-party funding.”; “A payer may require that an SLP consider multiple SGDs during their evaluation process and that those devices must not be from the same manufacturer or product line.”; “SGD vendors may be able to assist with funding questions and may have templates for meeting payer standards; however, this does not take the place of a comprehensive AAC evaluation.”; “SLPs writing AAC evaluations and completing funding requests must disclose any financial relationships that they have with device manufacturers and must certify that their recommendation for device selection is based on a comprehensive evaluation and preferred practice patterns and is not due to any financial incentive.”; “The Assistive Technology Act (AT Act) of 2004 provides every state and territory with federal funding to support efforts to increase access to, and acquisition of, AT devices and services”; “Medicare may not cover AAC devices in all settings (e.g., skilled nursing facilities, hospice).”; “Refer to the Medicaid Guidelines for your state.”; “There is significant variability in funding of AAC devices between different plans and companies. Each is different, and an SLP should check with the provider before beginning the process of obtaining a dedicated AAC device (e.g., SGD).”; “Tablets, apps, and computers are considered nondurable, nondedicated devices, and payers’ coverage for these devices varies.”; “As with SGDs, an SLP should document medical necessity for accessories. A team-based approach is suggested when considering appropriate accessories, particularly with considerations from physical therapy and occupational therapy.”; the accessories it lists include “keyguard”; “mount/stand”.
8. DrSensory. How to claim and optimize your DrSensory profile (For Therapists guide, last updated October 7, 2026). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “Your description can run to 1,200 characters and is shown in your own words”; “The ones you treat or offer routinely, and no others.”; in its table of tag groups, the row “Services we offer”; lists among its examples “Parent coaching and caregiver training, Feeding and swallowing (dysphagia), Handwriting, Gross motor development, AAC”; “Credentials are tick-only.”; “Publishing is what a family sees, and it needs an active subscription.”; “DrSensory is told when you publish and may look at the page, but it does not approve your text before it goes live. What you publish is your statement about your practice.”.
9. DrSensory. Therapy Clinic Directory Pricing (the listing pricing page). Checked October 26, 2026.
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   “We do not guarantee rankings.”; “We do not verify clinical quality.”; “We do not sell your leads.”; in the free and claimed comparison, a claimed listing adds “Specialties”; “Full, and you edit them”; “Ages and conditions treated”; “Your website linked”; “Family inquiries”; “Come to you, in the portal”; “No contract. Cancel any time.”; “Outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology clinics. The directory lists clinics rather than individual therapists, so one listing covers your whole practice. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities and chiropractic practices are not listed.”.
10. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology (ASHA policy document, approved by the ASHA Board of Directors on February 4, 2016; Assessment, Treatment, and Modalities, Technology, and Instrumentation). among assessment activities, SLPs “document assessment and trial results for selecting AAC interventions and technology, including speech-generating devices (SGDs);”; among treatment activities, they “engage in treatment activities that are within the scope of the professional’s competence;”; “utilize AAC performance data to guide clinical decisions and determine the effectiveness of treatment;”; and their technologies include “the full range of AAC technologies to help individuals who have impaired ability to communicate verbally on a consistent basis”. Checked October 26, 2026.
11. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Clinical Specialty Certification (ASHA certification page). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “Clinical Specialty Certification enables a professional who demonstrates advanced knowledge, skills, and experience in a specified area of practice to be formally identified as a Board Certified Specialist (BCS) in that area of practice.”; “Specialty certification is not required to practice in any area within the Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology Scopes of Practice.”; “Specialty certification is currently available through:”; a list that includes the “American Board of Augmentative and Alternative Communication”.
12. Administration for Community Living. Assistive Technology (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, program page). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “The State Grant for Assistive Technology Program makes assistive technology devices and services more available and accessible to individuals with disabilities and their families.”; “The program provides one grant to each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the outlying areas”; “Each State Grant for Assistive Technology program includes financing activities.”.
13. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Uses and Disclosures for Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations (HIPAA Privacy Rule guidance, content last reviewed July 26, 2013). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    ““Treatment” generally means the provision, coordination, or management of health care and related services among health care providers or by a health care provider with a third party, consultation between health care providers regarding a patient, or the referral of a patient from one health care provider to another.”.
14. eCFR. 42 CFR 440.70 Home health services (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; Medicaid, paragraph (b)(3)). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “Paragraphs (b)(1), (2) and (3) of this section are required services and items that must be covered according to the home health coverage parameters.”; “(3) Medical supplies, equipment, and appliances suitable for use in any setting in which normal life activities take place”; provided, under paragraph (a)(3), “On his or her physician’s orders or orders written by a licensed practitioner of the healing arts acting within the scope of practice authorized under State law, as part of a written plan of care for services described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section.”; “State Medicaid coverage of equipment and appliances is not restricted to the items covered as durable medical equipment in the Medicare program.”; “A beneficiary’s need for medical supplies, equipment, and appliances must be reviewed by a physician or, as defined in § 400.200 of this chapter, an other licensed practitioner of the healing arts acting within the scope of practice authorized under State law, annually.”; “States can have a list of preapproved medical equipment supplies and appliances for administrative ease but States are prohibited from having absolute exclusions of coverage on medical equipment, supplies, or appliances.”; “States must have processes and criteria for requesting medical equipment that is made available to individuals to request items not on the State’s list.”; “When denying a request, a State must inform the beneficiary of the right to a fair hearing.”.
15. eCFR. 34 CFR 300.5 Assistive technology device (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B regulations). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.”.
16. eCFR. 34 CFR 300.6 Assistive technology service (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B regulations). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.”; “(a) The evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child’s customary environment;”; “(c) Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices;”; “(d) Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs;”; “(e) Training or technical assistance for a child with a disability or, if appropriate, that child’s family; and”; “(f) Training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing education or rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of that child.”.
17. eCFR. 34 CFR 300.324 Development, review, and revision of IEP (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; paragraph (a)(2), consideration of special factors). “(v) Consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services.”. Checked October 26, 2026.
18. eCFR. 34 CFR 303.13 Early intervention services (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C regulations). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “Early intervention services means developmental services that”; “(1) Are provided under public supervision; (2) Are selected in collaboration with the parents;”; “(9) Are provided in conformity with an IFSP adopted in accordance with section 636 of the Act and § 303.20.”; “(1) Assistive technology device and service are defined as follows:”; “(ii) Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists an infant or toddler with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.”; “(E) Training or technical assistance for an infant or toddler with a disability or, if appropriate, that child’s family; and”.
19. HealthCare.gov. What Marketplace health insurance plans cover (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, consumer page). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “All plans offered in the Marketplace cover these 10 essential health benefits:”; “Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills)”; “Specific services covered in each broad benefit category can vary based on your state’s requirements.”.
20. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Medicare CPT Coding Rules for Speech-Language Pathology Services (coding guidance for Medicare Part B; its AAC rows list 92605, 92618, 92606, 92607, 92608 and 92609). of 92605: “Medicare won’t pay for this code because it is considered bundled with any other speech-language pathology service provided on the same day. Checked October 26, 2026.
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    SLPs may not separately bill for non-speech-generating device services alone.”; of 92618: “This is an add-on code for 92605.”; of 92606: “See 92605 for additional information on billing for non-speech generating AAC device services.”; of 92608: “This is an add-on code for 92607. Additional time may be reported for an evaluation spanning multiple days.”; “Do not bill 92608 separately from 92607.”.
21. eCFR. 42 CFR 424.24 Requirements for medical and other health services furnished by providers under Medicare Part B (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; paragraph (c)). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “(c) Outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services”; “(ii) If the plan of treatment is established by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech-language pathologist, the certification must be signed by a physician or by a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant who has knowledge of the case, except as specified in paragraph (c)(5) of this section.”; “Recertification is required at least every 90 days.”.
22. eCFR. 42 CFR 440.110 Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and services for individuals with speech, hearing, and language disorders (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; Medicaid, paragraph (c)). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “Services for individuals with speech, hearing, and language disorders means diagnostic, screening, preventive, or corrective services provided by or under the direction of a speech pathologist or audiologist, for which a patient is referred by a physician or other licensed practitioner of the healing arts within the scope of his or her practice under State law.”; “It includes any necessary supplies and equipment.”.
23. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Covered Entities and Business Associates (HIPAA for Professionals, content last reviewed August 21, 2024). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “The HIPAA Rules apply to covered entities and business associates.”; “If an entity does not meet the definition of a covered entity or business associate, it does not have to comply with the HIPAA Rules.”; health care providers are covered entities “but only if they transmit any information in an electronic form in connection with a transaction for which HHS has adopted a standard.”.
24. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Family Members and Friends (HIPAA for Individuals, content last reviewed December 23, 2022). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “The Privacy Rule does not require a health care provider or health plan to share information with your family or friends, unless they are your personal representatives.”; “However, the provider or plan can share your information with family or friends if:”; “They are involved in your health care or payment for your health care,”; “You tell the provider or plan that it can do so,”; “You do not object to sharing of the information, or”.
25. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Personal Representatives (HIPAA Privacy Rule guidance, content last reviewed January 5, 2024). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “In most cases under the Rule, a parent, guardian, or other person acting in loco parentis (collectively, “parent”) is the personal representative of the minor child and can exercise the minor’s rights with respect to protected health information, because the parent usually has the authority to make health care decisions about his or her minor child.”; “The covered entity should not treat that person as the individual for other purposes, such as to sign an authorization for the disclosure of protected health information for marketing purposes.”; (said of a person with a limited health care power of attorney); “State or other law should be consulted to determine the authority of the personal representative to receive or access the individual’s protected health information.”.
26. Federal Trade Commission. 16 CFR 255.5 Disclosure of material connections (eCFR, current text, up to date as of October 23, 2026; Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “(a) When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement, and that connection is not reasonably expected by the audience, such connection must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.”; “Material connections can include a business, family, or personal relationship. They can include monetary payment or the provision of free or discounted products (including products unrelated to the endorsed product) to an endorser, regardless of whether the advertiser requires an endorsement in return.”.
27. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Marketing (HIPAA Privacy Rule guidance, content last reviewed July 26, 2013). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “With limited exceptions, the Rule requires an individual’s written authorization before a use or disclosure of his or her protected health information can be made for marketing.”; “Simply put, a covered entity may not sell protected health information to a business associate or any other third party for that party’s own purposes.”; “Moreover, covered entities may not sell lists of patients or enrollees to third parties without obtaining authorization from each person on the list.”.
28. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Facilitated Communication (ASHA position statement, 2018). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “It is the position of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) that Facilitated Communication (FC) is a discredited technique that should not be used.”; “Information obtained through the use of FC should not be considered as the communication of the person with a disability.”. Its companion position statement, Rapid Prompting Method (2018): “It is the position of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) that use of the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) is not recommended because of prompt dependency and the lack of scientific validity.”.
29. DrSensory. DrSensory for Therapists (the For Therapists hub, last updated October 7, 2026). Checked October 26, 2026.
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    “DrSensory is a directory families use free to find occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy clinics”; “across all 50 states and Washington, DC”; “The directory lists clinics rather than individual therapists, so one listing covers a whole practice at one address.”; “Claiming is free and has three steps: find your listing, confirm your email with a six-digit code, choose a password.”; “The first location is $29.99 a month or $349.99 a year; each additional location is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.”; “A paid listing adds your own description, logo, up to five photos, hours, reviews with your replies, and inquiries that come to you instead of to the DrSensory team.”; in its free and paid comparison, the description row reads “Yours, up to 1,200 characters”; “On a listing without a paid plan, the message comes to the DrSensory team, who try to reach the clinic by forwarding it on the family’s behalf; DrSensory cannot guarantee that the clinic receives or answers it.”; “Does DrSensory list clinics that see adults?”; “Yes. The editor has age bands for 18 and over and 65 and over”; “DrSensory does not verify clinical quality, and says so on every results page.”; “No one can promise that, and Google says rankings cannot be bought.”.

Medical disclaimer. This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is general guidance on running a therapy practice, not legal, compliance, billing or financial advice. It quotes ASHA, CMS and the federal regulations as their pages read on October 26, 2026; coverage policies and codes change, so check the source and the payer’s current policy before relying on a detail.