06/27/2025
I was tired of just complaining into the void about the lack of respect and horribly low rates for our expertise and nothing happening💥 so I joined PSHA and started the Private Practice Subcommittee. This past week, many SLPs and even some OTs and PTs went to Harrisburg to talk to legislators to try and make change. Some were receptive and some blew us off. Our big push this time was low Medicaid rates. Like, horrible, insulting rates.
You see, the managed care organizations (MCOs) in PA have gotten more money each year from the Medicaid budget, but has not given it to providers (aka, SLPs). The SLP rate in PA has not increased since 1993. And it’s $21.70 (CPT code 92507). 🤯😡In VA, it’s quadruple that amount. Same service, different state. This is also a huge reason why SLPs are leaving our state - they aren’t paid enough here. And the cycle of long waitlists continues…
Speech/language pathologists have their bachelor’s degree and their master’s degree, completed a clinical fellowship year, and have a state license, probably a national certification, potentially a teaching certification, and hundreds of hours of continuing ed. I have all of that. $21.70 per client is insulting. And if I would accept that, it’s telling everyone else that the rate is OK when it’s very, very not. So as much as we want to see and help as many clients as possible, only large corporations can take Medicaid and have outpatient and inpatient speech therapy clients because they can offset this horrible rate with their surgeries and other areas. Otherwise, our doors close and we can’t help anyone.
I also want to mention that the PA Medicaid fee schedule does not recognize my specialty AT ALL, which is working with children who are minimally speaking (using the term “nonverbal” is outdated) and need an alternate form of communication other than speech. So my specialty, which is helping kids that need some of the most help, gets zero dollars back. Zero.

To be clear, we are not asking for an increase in the state budget. We were asking legislators to make the MCOs increase the fee schedule so providers are actually paid for their time and expertise instead of just lining their pockets with more money.
So the next time you call an organization and they do not take insurance or do not take Medicaid, you should ask yourself why. Because I am sure that many of those companies tried very, very hard to work with insurance companies and to work with Medicaid, but in the end, it just was not worth it. The line has to be drawn somewhere.
Yes it’s extra time in meetings and to travel to Harrisburg, etc. but something has to be done. We all went in this field to help people, and this is making it impossible to help as many people as possible.
But, I’ll keep fighting 💜 and if you are an SLP or OT or PT and want to join the fight, let me know!!!
