I was labeled nonverbal until age 8 because of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). I couldn’t communicate my basic needs, and I was told I would never speak independently. After more than a decade of speech therapy, I became an advocate, activist, author, and public speaker. I lead Fighting For My Voice, a national disability rights organization; Camp BEE, which supports children with CAS; and Apraxia Foundation, which helps families afford evidence-based services. I know firsthand how much access to treatment can change a person’s life.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult to plan and coordinate the movements needed for speech. People with CAS often need consistent, individualized speech therapy to develop their communication skills.

Yet insurance companies can impose arbitrary therapy limits or deny coverage for medically necessary treatment, leaving families struggling to afford the care their children need.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), speech therapy is necessary for people with apraxia, and treatment should be tailored to individual needs. Frequent, intensive, one-on-one therapy may be needed, especially for children with severe speech difficulties. 

We are calling on health insurance companies to stop denying medically necessary speech therapy for people with CAS based on arbitrary session limits or inadequate coverage policies. Coverage decisions must reflect documented clinical needs, with individualized reviews and a fair appeals process when treatment is denied.

No family should have to fight an insurance company to give their child the opportunity to communicate.

We are fighting for every person living with CAS to have their voice heard and access to the treatment they need.

Sign the petition today.