Insurance coverage for stuttering therapy now law

(The Center Square) – Insurance coverage within the commonwealth will now include speech therapy for stuttering.

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the bill Wednesday after it cleared the Senate unanimously on Oct. 9.

The measure specifically targets stuttering, requiring insurance plans offered in Pennsylvania to cover speech therapy for children aged two to six 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 Rep. Brandon Markosek, D-Monroeville, the bill has nearly two dozen sponsors. Among them are 22 Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Robert Mercuri, Wexford.

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% to 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 Instruction 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.

Christina Lengyel contributed to this report.