ArticleThe Laryngoscope2026
Variability in Insurance Coverage for Adult Voice Therapy in The United States of America.
Article in The Laryngoscope, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Parkinson's Disease: An Analysis of Prevalence, Swallow Therapy Utilization, and Complication Rates.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2026Article
- Variability in Insurance Coverage for Adult Voice Therapy in The United States of America.The Laryngoscope · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesVoice therapy is often the first-line treatment and an adjunct to medical or surgical management of dysphonia. However, a minority of patients with dysphonia utilize voice therapy. Insurance coverage can affect patients' decisions and ability to pursue voice therapy. The objective of this study was to investigate variability in insurance coverage of voice therapy for treatment of dysphonia in the United States of America.
methodsA cross-sectional study was performed to review insurance policies from the top three commercial insurers and Medicaid in all 50 states and District of Columbia (DC). Top three commercial insurers were determined using 2021 enrollment data. Policies for commercial insurers and Medicaid in all 50 states and DC were then identified using internet search. Voice therapy coverage was categorized as covered, requiring prior authorization, determined on case-by-case basis, or not covered. Copay and visit limitations were also assessed.
resultsAmong 153 commercial insurers, 135 (88.2%) provided coverage for voice therapy. 39 (76.5%) state Medicaid plans provided coverage for voice therapy. There was no association between coverage status and insurance type (p = 0.06). Commercial insurers (34.09 ± 13.8) were associated with significantly higher annual visits limit than Medicaid (23.8 ± 10.1) (p = 0.02). There was a significant association between commercial insurers and documented copays (p = 0.01).
conclusionsWhile most of the commercial plans and Medicaid provide voice therapy coverage, discrepancies still exist, and many insurance providers do not provide coverage. This variability may contribute to disparities in access and outcomes for individuals with dysphonia. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.
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