USA:
Apps are not generally reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance coverage. However, it is always worth reaching out to your insurance provider to see what their policies allow.
Apps may be purchased using funds in a Health Savings Account or Flexible Savings Accounts.
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p969#en_US_2015_publink1000204174
- Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a way for people enrolled in high-deductible insurance plans to save money, tax-free, for medical expenses. The money can earn interest and is not lost if not used.
- Flexible Savings Accounts (FSAs) are a way for all employees to put away money tax-free, regardless of the insurance they have, for medical expenses. They do not earn interest, and must be used before the end of the year or the money is lost.
- Itemized Deductions: For those without these 2 types of tax-advantaged savings plans, qualified medical expenses that are not covered by insurance or paid for through FSAs or HSAs may be itemized as deductions on a federal tax return. This does not cover the full cost of the expense, but deducts the cost from your total income, thereby reducing your tax obligation.
Qualified medical expenses are defined as:
“payments for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or payments for treatments affecting any structure or function of the body.”
As aphasia, dysarthria, apraxia, and cognitive-communication impairments are all dysfunctions of regular functions of the body (language, speech, and thinking) and are a result of diseases/conditions such as stroke or brain injury, it stands to reason that the software tools available to treat such conditions would be eligible medical expenses.
You may need a letter of medical necessity from a doctor or speech-language pathologist that includes your medical condition (stroke, aphasia) and recommended treatment (speech therapy software app “Language Therapy 4-in-1”). You’ll want to keep this with the receipt for your purchase should you be selected for a tax audit.
Our speech therapy apps are priced affordably for those who do not have coverage. An hour of private speech-language therapy can cost up to $150. We hope that people who want to improve their communication can use their limited insurance money to cover the therapy services they need in conjunction with using our apps at home for unlimited hours of practice under the guidance of a consulting speech-language pathologist.
Australia:
See: How do I get your apps through the Australian NDIS programme?
United Kingdom:
While apps are not covered by the NHS, there is a charity program called Speak with I.T. that arranges multi-month loans of tablets with our therapy apps to determine if they are right for you. If you wish to purchase them and are unable, they can help you find grants and other funding assistance.
Worldwide:
We do not want cost to be a factor that prevents anyone from getting the practice they need. We offer our Tactus Hand Up program to make our already-affordable apps even more accessible to those in extreme need.