Can someone walk me through EI?

So the ped suggested we have DD2 evaluated for speech. He said it was "free". I called EI and they are coming this Friday but not to evaluate DD yet, to have me sign forms and discuss what's covered by insurance. I figured I ould ask my questions on Friday, but curiousity is getting the better of me. Is it not free but rather covered under insurance? Did anyone have to pay out of pocket for EI?

Thanks!

Re: Can someone walk me through EI?

Where do you live? The eval is free and I thought in NY it's free. I live in NJ and it depends on your household income whether you pay or not or how much.

Re: Can someone walk me through EI?

EI is free to you.

Part of the cost may come from your health insurance but you will not pay any copays. Whatever is not paid for by insurance is paid for by the county.

The initial meeting is with someone from the county to fill out paperwork. They will ask you to select an agency to use for the evaluation from a list of like 50, so it can be helpful to do your research on that in advance.

You will get a call from someone at the agency you selected to set up an appointment for the evaluation, also in your home. This is done by playing with your child and talking to you as well. You are in the room the whole time.

Re: Can someone walk me through EI?

Re: Can someone walk me through EI?

Re: Can someone walk me through EI?

You could always ask the local school or your child's ped. for input in which agency to choose from. I worked for Bilinguals and thought they were very well run in Suffolk County.

Re: Can someone walk me through EI?

They take ins info only to offset costs. You pay nothing! There is an initial paperwork meeting. Then you choose an evaluation center and set up an appointment. they evaluate and you have another meeting with county if the child needs services and you discuss what services will be given. In my experience, the county tries to not give services unless its significant. The evaluators said my DD needed some help, and fought for us at the meeting so we are getting teacher 2x per month to teach us to work with her.

On my initial call to the county the woman was like "it's A LOT of paperwork, are you sure you want to go through with it?" Like trying to steer me away. It wasn't too bad. Then the day of the meeting she called me saying my DD is still so young and what I had initially called for wasn't an issue (well part of what I called for- she actually had a different delay) and was trying to steer me to less services if any at all. This is where the teacher/evaluator had to fight a little for us. Annoying!

It doesn't hurt to have them evaluated then you can decide what to do afterwards.

Re: Can someone walk me through EI?

Can someone walk me through EI?

It's free but they can try to go through your insurance to be reimbursed. I forget the term, but some insurance can cover it however I think it can come out of your annual coverage limits if that makes sense. I'm not sure the right terms or anything but bc of that the coordinator encouraged me not to have anything put through my insurance.

I know there are lots of billing issues right now with the state reimbursing providers. I signed an online petition a few months ago bc of changes they were trying to make and so I've been getting email updates since then. It seems that some new systems are making it really tough for providers to be paid and they are trying to remedy that. Sorry to be long winded, but in the end it should not cost you a dime out of pocket!