On March 18, 2020 Therapy Center of Buda made the difficult, yet necessary decision to close to the public to ensure we do our part to keep our community safe and avoid the spread of COVID-19 (i.e., Coronavirus). At the time we closed teletherapy was not an approved by the Texas Department of Licensing (TDLR) for speech-language pathologists and assistants. Nor was it reimbursable by Texas Medicaid (and MCOs) or private insurance policies. We relentlessly engaged with Governor Abbott, TDLR and Gov. Abbott in order to obtain approvals and coverage for our families and other Texan children. After a tireless fight, we obtained approval from TDLR and The Governor to allow our therapists to provide our services via teletherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also have obtained approval from all forms of Medicaid and private insurance companies (with the exception of a few self-funded plans). Many of the private insurance companies have also agreed to waive patient portion of teletherapy visits. This was wonderful news for our families and other Texan children that required speech-language and occupational therapies.
You may be wondering…What IS teletherapy? How is it different than the therapy we already get? Is it “right” for my child? Let’s explore these questions together:
You may be wondering…What IS teletherapy? How is it different than the therapy we already get? Is it “right” for my child? Let’s explore these questions together:
What is teletherapy? Teletherapy, also called telehealth, is a form of receiving therapy through a computer, smartphone or tablet. Providers use a “platform” that is HIPAA compliant to provide speech-language and occupational therapy to your loved one.
How is it different than the face-to-face therapy we usually receive? Family involvement is more important as we are not physically in the same room. Sometimes we need your assistance engaging your loved one or assisting them. It’s a unique opportunity to become a more involved participant in your loved one’s therapeutic session.
Is teletherapy “right” for everyone? The simple answer is; no, teletherapy is not right for every family we serve. At TCOB we believe in our model of face-to-face therapy and relationship building with our families; however, the safety of our families is our top priority and face-to-face sessions are simply not possible. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of the teletherapy model and make a decision that is right for your family and loved one.
Will TCOB always provide teletherapy now? No, once this pandemic crisis is over or we have received direction from the World Health Organization that it is safe to resume face-to-face sessions we will resume our traditional services. Additionally, since we (and other facilities) were provided temporary waivers to provide this service, we anticipate when the crisis is over the authorizations will be revoked.
If we elect to not participate in teletherapy will we “lose” our “spot” on the schedule? No, we remain committed to our families. If you are committed to return to services once we reopen we will hold your therapy spot for you.
What platform does TCOB use? After much research we selected Theraplatform. It is a program that was created for speech-language pathology. The platform is accessible through any computer, smartphone or tablet that has internet service. It is HIPAA compliant, so you can rest assured that your loved one’s session is security protected.
Can new patients receive evaluations? There is not a simple answer to this question. Some insurance companies are covering new evaluations and others are not. We will happily verify your benefits for you prior to scheduling. There also are some areas of need and assessment that cannot be fully evaluated via teletherapy. For example, ADOS-2 assessments for younger children will be held until in-person evaluation can occur. We will evaluate each case individually and discuss our recommendation to either proceed with a teletherapy evaluation or hold off until we are able to resume in-person evaluations.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our team via phone or email.
How is it different than the face-to-face therapy we usually receive? Family involvement is more important as we are not physically in the same room. Sometimes we need your assistance engaging your loved one or assisting them. It’s a unique opportunity to become a more involved participant in your loved one’s therapeutic session.
Is teletherapy “right” for everyone? The simple answer is; no, teletherapy is not right for every family we serve. At TCOB we believe in our model of face-to-face therapy and relationship building with our families; however, the safety of our families is our top priority and face-to-face sessions are simply not possible. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of the teletherapy model and make a decision that is right for your family and loved one.
Will TCOB always provide teletherapy now? No, once this pandemic crisis is over or we have received direction from the World Health Organization that it is safe to resume face-to-face sessions we will resume our traditional services. Additionally, since we (and other facilities) were provided temporary waivers to provide this service, we anticipate when the crisis is over the authorizations will be revoked.
If we elect to not participate in teletherapy will we “lose” our “spot” on the schedule? No, we remain committed to our families. If you are committed to return to services once we reopen we will hold your therapy spot for you.
What platform does TCOB use? After much research we selected Theraplatform. It is a program that was created for speech-language pathology. The platform is accessible through any computer, smartphone or tablet that has internet service. It is HIPAA compliant, so you can rest assured that your loved one’s session is security protected.
Can new patients receive evaluations? There is not a simple answer to this question. Some insurance companies are covering new evaluations and others are not. We will happily verify your benefits for you prior to scheduling. There also are some areas of need and assessment that cannot be fully evaluated via teletherapy. For example, ADOS-2 assessments for younger children will be held until in-person evaluation can occur. We will evaluate each case individually and discuss our recommendation to either proceed with a teletherapy evaluation or hold off until we are able to resume in-person evaluations.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our team via phone or email.
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