Special Alerts
Your voice is needed! Throughout the rest of March, the Governor and New York State Legislature will be negotiating the State Budget for the upcoming fiscal year. They need to hear from you that adequate investment in the NYS Early Intervention Program is a top priority. Please let Governor Hochul and your state legislators know that babies and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities can't wait any longer to receive the essential, life-changing early intervention services they need. Encourage them to invest in New York's children by passing a State Budget that includes an 11 percent increase in early intervention reimbursement rates and rejects concerning cuts which will harm therapy delivery potential. New York's children and families deserve the best chance possible to thrive and grow to their full potential. Please make your voice heard today by sending the email below to Governor Hochul and your State Senator and Assembly member. To Email Governor Hochul: Visit the Governor’s Contact Form, complete the fields, and copy the message below, being sure to personalize the highlighted areas. To Email Your Legislators: Using the tools below, navigate to your legislators’ contact page to locate their email address.
Find your Senator here Find your Assembly member here
- Please Personalize the Highlighted Areas in the Sample Letter Below Before Sending.
Dear [Governor Hochul/Senator/Assemblymember]:
As a constituent and [speech-language pathologist/audiologist] providing services in your district, I am writing to request your support for critically needed investment in the New York State Early Intervention Program. Infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities across New York State are not receiving early intervention services guaranteed to them under state and federal laws. Thousands of young children are denied on-time therapies, losing critical opportunities for growth during a time when their brains are developing rapidly. Unfortunately, some children age out before they are able to receive any services. These delays disproportionately impact children of color, who are less likely to receive services within the prescribed timeframe. These service delays are the result of an exodus of providers leaving the field due to compensation insufficiency. Early intervention providers earn less in 2024, than they did in 1994. Adequate investment in EI will assist providers in meeting the growing costs of business due to administrative burdens imposed by the Department of Health (DOH), help to mitigate numerous cuts to the program over the last 10-15 years, increase provider participation in the program and ensure that infants and toddlers have timely and adequate access to services. Please consider supporting young children by ensuring the following are included in New York State 2024-2025 budget.
1. Please include an 11 percent increase in reimbursement rates for all early intervention services delivered in person. The primary cause of the delays and lack of in-person services is a severe shortage of therapists and other early intervention professionals, a result of decades of stagnant payment rates coupled with a payment system that is not providing increased compensation for the added costs, such as transportation and travel time, of delivering services in person at a child’s home or child care program.
2. Please reject the concerning administrative proposals that will change billing requirements by limiting consecutive home visits and group session size and significantly cut reimbursement by reducing telehealth rates to match existing facility rates. In particular, cutting telehealth by nearly 30 percent is deeply concerning as these services require the same documentation and often require more advance preparation to ensure families are prepared for their sessions. These proposed cuts will significantly hinder delivery potential and further limit access to these important services.
Early intervention services can change a child’s developmental path and an 11 percent increase is a step toward ensuring that children have access to the professionals and services that they need to achieve optimum success. All of New York’s children deserve a chance to thrive and grow to their full potential. Now more than ever, early intervention needs investment, not cuts. We are counting on your support of this critical and life-changing program.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
BlueCross Blue Shield Update
Dear NYSSHLA Members,
I hope this message finds you well. Recently, one of our members brought to our attention a matter of significance related to our profession. As an organization dedicated to supporting our professionals, we feel it is crucial to share the communication that was submitted to the insurance provider.
We believe it is essential for all our members to be informed about this issue and to voice their concerns directly to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Your active participation is vital in ensuring that the collective voice of our organization is heard.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Together, we can make a difference in advocating for the interests of our profession.
Sincerely,
Zhanneta Shapiro, AuD, CCC-A
NYSSLHA President
Dear Colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention an important matter that affects our profession and the quality of care we provide to our patients.
BlueCross BlueShield of NY on September 1, 2023 had imposed a significant 32% reduction in reimbursement rates for CPT code 92507, which covers speech and language therapy services the most used speech-language pathology billing code. This substantial reduction has far-reaching implications, not only for our livelihoods but also for our ability to continue delivering the high-quality care that our patients rely on. Luckily, we organized other SLPs in-network with BlueCross and have negotiated a reversal for possibly April 2024 but no commitment for retro pay. We also need to prepare if there is a domino effect with other insurance companies so this needs to be reversed immediately.
In light of this, I propose that we come together as a united front to advocate for fair reimbursement rates and to protect our profession. By organizing and advocating collectively, we can amplify our voice and influence change.
I urge you to join our efforts to address this issue. Together, we can:
Raise awareness about the impact of this reimbursement reduction on patients and therapists.
Engage in constructive dialogue with BlueCross BlueShield to find solutions that are fair and sustainable.
Collaborate with our state association and other stakeholders to strengthen our advocacy.
Social Media Campaign Participation
Your involvement is crucial in making a difference. We are particularly interested in working with other in-network SLPs of BlueCross BlueShield. Please reply back and note if you are in–network with BlueCross BlueShield at SLTherapy@HearThinkTalk.com.
Together, we can protect our profession and the vital services we provide to those in need.
Thank you for your commitment to our field and to the well-being of our patients.
Matthew Masiello, MS, CCC-SLP