AAC AAC Funding, Insurance & Advocacy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and requires reasonable accommodations, including AAC access, in public settings?
- IDEA
- HIPAA
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Correct answer)
- Rehabilitation Act Section 504 only
Correct answer: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA mandates that public entities and employers provide reasonable accommodations, which can include AAC systems, to individuals with communication disabilities.
Question 2: What does the term 'medical necessity' mean in the context of AAC device funding?
- The device is the most expensive option available
- The device is clinically required to meet the individual's communication needs (Correct answer)
- The device is preferred by the caregiver
- The device is manufactured in the United States
Correct answer: The device is clinically required to meet the individual's communication needs
Medical necessity means the AAC device is clinically essential to address the individual's functional communication deficit and cannot be met by other means.
Question 3: Which funding source specifically serves children from low-income families and can cover AAC devices through state waiver programs?
- Medicare Part A
- Medicaid (Correct answer)
- Veterans Affairs
- Private disability insurance
Correct answer: Medicaid
Medicaid covers AAC devices for eligible low-income children and adults, often through home and community-based service (HCBS) waiver programs.
Question 4: A letter of medical necessity (LMN) for an AAC device should primarily include which of the following?
- A list of all AAC devices the client has tried in the past only
- Diagnosis, functional communication limitations, trial results, and rationale for the specific device (Correct answer)
- The device's retail price and availability
- The client's educational history
Correct answer: Diagnosis, functional communication limitations, trial results, and rationale for the specific device
An effective LMN documents the clinical diagnosis, functional communication limitations, evidence from device trials, and a clear rationale linking the specific device to the client's needs.
Question 5: Which organization provides advocacy resources and a communication bill of rights for AAC users in the United States?
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC) (Correct answer)
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- U.S. Department of Education
Correct answer: National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC)
The NJC published the Communication Bill of Rights, a foundational advocacy document affirming the communication rights of individuals with severe disabilities.
Question 6: When an AAC device is funded through Medicare, what restriction applies to the type of device covered?
- The device must be prescribed by a neurologist
- The device must be dedicated solely to speech generation and cannot run other apps (Correct answer)
- The device must cost less than $500
- The device must be worn on the body
Correct answer: The device must be dedicated solely to speech generation and cannot run other apps
Medicare requires that a covered SGD be a dedicated speech-generation device and not a general-purpose tablet or computer that runs other non-medical applications.
AAC AAC Funding, Insurance & Advocacy 2
Which federal law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and requires reasonable accommodations, including AAC access, in public settings?