Speech Generating Devices

Medicare covers speech generating devices as durable medical equipment for patients with a severe speech impairment when the device is medically necessary to meet the patient's functional speaking needs and generates audible/verbal speech via digitized, synthesized, or software methods. Covered features include email, text, and phone message generation and device updates; non-covered items include internet/phone service, home modifications, and non-speech computing features (e.g., document creation, games, video conferencing), whose costs are the beneficiary's responsibility.

"Covered when the patient suffers from a severe speech impairment and has a medical condition that warrants use of a speech generating device to meet functional speaking needs."

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