A Unified Voice for Therapy Services

The Tri Alliance of Pennsylvania is a collaborative coalition of the state associations for Speech-Language Pathology (PSHA), Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Together, we advocate for policies that protect access to essential therapy services and strengthen the role of rehabilitation across healthcare settings.

 

 

About the Tri Alliance

The Tri Alliance was formed to ensure Pennsylvanians receive the rehabilitative and habilitative care they need when they need it. By joining forces, we:

  • Present a unified policy platform to insurers and policymakers.

  • Advocate for reducing unnecessary requirements that disrupt care.

  • Elevate the voices of clinicians and patients in state-level discussions.

Our Focus: Access · Quality · Equity · Affordability

 

 

Advocacy Priorities

Fair Coverage & Insurance Practices

  • Streamlined, clinically-appropriate prior authorization.

  • Transparent and evidence-based medical necessity criteria.

  • Network adequacy standards to ensure timely access.

Value-Based Care

  • Inclusion of rehabilitative and habilitative care in value-based models.

  • Recognition of therapy’s role in reducing hospitalizations and long-term costs.

  • Data-driven outcome measures that reflect real patient progress.

Medicaid Reimbursement

  • Adequate payment rates to sustain and grow provider participation.

  • Equitable access to therapy services for children, adults, and older Pennsylvanians.

  • Support for innovative care models that improve outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries.

 

 

Recent Advocacy Work

Insurance Companies

  • Engaged payers on restrictive coverage policies.

  • Pushed for consistency and transparency in prior authorization.

  • Advocated for criteria aligned with licensure and clinical evidence.

 

  • Pushed for higher reimbursement rates.

Value-Based Care

  • Provided input on statewide initiatives and payer pilots.

  • Shared data on therapy outcomes to inform payment reform.

  • Ensured rehabilitative care is recognized as a driver of patient success.

Medicaid Reimbursement

  • Partnered with policymakers to highlight provider sustainability challenges.

  • Advocated for reimbursement updates to reflect true costs of care.

  • Worked to maintain access for vulnerable populations across Pennsylvania.

 

 

Why It Matters

Therapy services change lives. They:

  • Help children succeed in school.

  • Support adults recovering from illness or injury.

  • Enable older adults to live safely and independently.

 

  • Help early identification of developmental delays and disabilities in children.

When coverage is restricted or reimbursement is inadequate, patients lose critical opportunities to reach their fullest potential.

 

 

Get Involved

The success of the Tri Alliance depends on members like you.

  • PSHA Members: Submit advocacy inquiries here: Advocacy Inquiry

  • Professionals: Join your state association to strengthen our collective voice.

  • Policymakers & Payers: Partner with us to design fair, patient-centered solutions.

Together, we ensure Pennsylvanians have access to the care they deserve.

 

Resources

Read the Tri Alliance Letter to Lawmakers about Medicaid Reimbursement

Medicaid Reimbursement Limiting Service Provisions

President’s Message on Highmark

PSHA Tri Alliance Members

Nicole Billak, Ed.D., CCC-SLP/LBS, PSHA President

Gretchen Myers, MSLP-CCC, PSHA member, SLP and private practice owner

Emily Aten-Newberry, MS CCC-SLP, PA/L, PSHA member, past chair of the PSHA Private Practice Subcommittee, SLP and private practice owner

 

Theresa Jacopetti, MA, CCC-SLP, PSHA STAR

 

Nancy Carlino, PhD, CCC-SLP, PSHA Past President