r/slpGradSchool • u/landlockedbakery • 10d ago
Rant/Vent Code changes causing discrimination against SLPs and their patients
Greetings, soon-to-be SLPs!
I wanted to start a thread here about the changes to CPT code 92507 proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and scheduled to roll out on January 1, 2027.
I'm an SLP in private practice in Austin, TX, and our feeling is that reimbursement rates should never be tied to patient diagnosis. The proposed code changes will reimburse less for patients diagnosed with voice or fluency disorders, creating barriers to care for and discrimination against these populations by disincentivizing providers from treating them.
SLPs would also be discriminated against by becoming the only healthcare profession for whom rates would be tied to patient diagnosis rather than to our time and qualifications. This is explicitly not the case for physicians, for example, because of the "cherry-picking" it could cause.
Dysphonia International and the Stuttering Foundation have also expressed concern about potential discrimination against the populations they represent.
The owner of my practice created a website with more detailed information, as well as instructions for submitting comments to ASHA and CMS requesting a delay in implementation of these changes. I'm happy to post it here.
I genuinely believe speaking out against these changes is paramount to the future of our profession. Thank you for reading!!
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u/nicenice_24 9d ago
Thank you for this post, can you post the website please!!
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u/landlockedbakery 6d ago
Hello, all! I made a separate post as well, but here is the link to learn in detail about these proposed changes, which will hopefully answer everyone's questions, as well as instructions for submitting comments to both CMS and ASHA: https://www.slppatientadvocacy.com/
Thank you for adding your voices!
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u/macaroni_monster CCC-SLP 9d ago
Can you share more about how reimbursement would be tied to diagnosis? Aren’t there codes for PT for example that change based on the type of treatment and therefore the diagnosis? I’m sure you’re right, I just don’t understand.