If you or someone you love has Parkinson’s disease, you may have heard about LSVT LOUD, a specialized speech therapy program designed for people with Parkinson’s.
One of the first questions people often ask is:
Does Medicare cover LSVT LOUD?
Yes. Medicare covers medically necessary speech therapy, and LSVT LOUD can be covered as part of that treatment.
Speech and voice changes are extremely common with Parkinson’s disease. In fact, the Parkinson’s Foundation reports that up to 89% of people with Parkinson’s experience changes in their speech and voice.
These changes may include a softer voice, unclear speech, speaking too quickly or difficulty being heard and understood.
The good news is that you do not have to wait until these changes become severe to see a speech language pathologist.
What Is LSVT LOUD?
LSVT LOUD is a speech therapy treatment developed specifically for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s affects movement, and that includes the movements needed for speaking.
One of the most common changes is a voice that becomes too soft.
You may notice that:
- Family members frequently ask you to speak louder
- People ask you to repeat yourself
- Your voice fades during longer conversations
- You have trouble being heard in restaurants or groups
- Talking on the phone has become more difficult
- Your speech sounds less clear
- Other people say you are speaking softly even though you feel like you are speaking normally
LSVT LOUD works on improving voice and speech so that you can communicate more effectively in everyday life.
How Does Medicare Cover LSVT LOUD?
This part is actually fairly simple.
Medicare covers the speech therapy. LSVT LOUD is a type of speech therapy.
If Parkinson’s disease has affected your speech or voice and you need skilled speech therapy, discuss it with your doctor, get an order from your doctor and an LSVT certified speech language pathologist can evaluate you and determine whether LSVT LOUD is an appropriate treatment.
Why Is Speech Therapy Important With Parkinson’s?
Communication is an important part of everyday life.
Your voice allows you to talk with your spouse, children and grandchildren. It allows you to participate in conversations, speak with your doctors, order at a restaurant, talk on the phone and remain socially connected.
When Parkinson’s begins affecting speech and voice, those everyday activities can become more difficult.
Because speech and voice changes are so common with Parkinson’s, speech therapy is considered an important part of Parkinson’s care when communication changes are present.
Should I Wait Until My Voice Gets Really Soft?
No.
You do not need to wait until your speech becomes difficult to understand.
Speech and voice changes with Parkinson’s often happen gradually. Sometimes family members notice them before the person with Parkinson’s does.
An early speech evaluation can establish a baseline of how your voice and speech are working now.
That gives you and your speech language pathologist something to compare with in the future.
If treatment is appropriate, addressing changes earlier may also help you maintain effective communication as Parkinson’s progresses.
Does Medicare Cover Speech Therapy if Parkinson’s Is Progressive?
Yes.
This is an important Medicare benefit that many people do not realize.
Medicare does not only cover therapy when someone is expected to completely recover.
Medicare can also cover medically necessary skilled speech therapy that helps you:
Improve your abilities
Maintain your current abilities
or
Slow a decline in function
This is especially important for people living with a progressive condition such as Parkinson’s disease.
How Much Does LSVT LOUD Cost With Medicare?
If you have Medicare Part B, after you meet your annual Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare approved amount for covered speech therapy.
If you have a Medicare Supplement plan, also called Medigap, your plan may pay some or all of your remaining cost depending on your coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans also cover speech therapy and benefits are verified prior to starting therapy to let you know if you have a co-pay.
Your therapy must continue to meet Medicare’s requirements for medically necessary skilled care.
Can Medicare Cover Online LSVT LOUD?
Yes.
Medicare currently allows speech language pathologists to provide covered speech therapy through telehealth.
LSVT LOUD provided through teletherapy is called LSVT eLOUD.
This allows appropriate patients to receive specialized Parkinson’s speech therapy from home.
Online LSVT LOUD can be especially helpful if you:
- Have difficulty driving
- Have mobility problems
- Become tired easily
- Depend on someone else for transportation
- Live far from an LSVT certified therapist
- Prefer the convenience of receiving therapy from home
Vital Voice and Speech provides online LSVT LOUD and LSVT eLOUD for appropriate patients in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina.
Does Parkinson’s Affect Swallowing Too?
Yes. Parkinson’s can affect swallowing as well as speech and voice.
A speech language pathologist is trained to evaluate and treat both communication and swallowing problems.
Tell your healthcare provider or speech language pathologist if you notice coughing when eating or drinking, difficulty swallowing pills, food feeling stuck or other changes in swallowing.
Medicare also covers swallowing evaluations and treatment.
When Should I See a Speech Language Pathologist?
You do not need to wait for a serious speech or swallowing problem.
Consider a speech evaluation if you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and you or your family have noticed changes in your voice, speech, communication or swallowing.
Even when changes are mild, an evaluation can establish a baseline and help determine whether treatment is appropriate now.
Online LSVT LOUD Therapy in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina
Vital Voice and Speech provides specialized online speech therapy for adults with Parkinson’s disease throughout Florida, Virginia and North Carolina.
We provide LSVT LOUD and LSVT eLOUD and are a Medicare Part B participating provider.
Online therapy allows appropriate patients to receive specialized Parkinson’s speech therapy from home without having to travel to a clinic several times each week.
Ready to Learn More?
If you or someone you love has Parkinson’s disease and has noticed a softer voice, difficulty being heard, reduced speech clarity or other communication changes, a speech and voice evaluation can help.
You do not have to wait until the problem becomes severe.
Vital Voice and Speech provides teletherapy to patients located in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina.
Contact us for more information on your individual coverage.
Ph: (305) 815-9305 Email: info@vitalvoiceandspeech.com
Referrals may also be faxed to: (305)768-2820.
About the Author
Monica Vital, M.S., CCC-SLP is a medical speech-language pathologist and founder of Vital Voice and Speech with more than 20 years of experience. She specializes in working with adults with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions and is certified in LSVT LOUD® and LSVT eLOUD® as well as SPEAK OUT!®.
Her clinical work focuses on voice, speech, swallowing and cognitive-communication disorders. Through Vital Voice and Speech, she provides specialized online speech therapy to adults in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina and is a Medicare Part B participating provider.
