US Government Funding

1. California Connect (previously called DDTP)

For Californians needing accessible phone services

• California Connect helps people with hearing, speech, and other needs
• Get assistance for Konnekt Captioning Videophone, categorized as a speech generating device
• Get assistance for Konnekt Videophone, for cognitive, vision, dexterity or other needs

2. Assistive Technology Act programs

For US state- and territory-level help

• Benefits vary across each state and territory
• Programs may provide lending and demo centers, financial loans or assistance for assistive technology, and/or an equipment re-use program with organizational partners

3. Medicaid

For those with limited income and long-term care needs

• Most states cover assistive technology to support the functioning and independence of Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities through
  • • Home and community-based services programs,
    • Medicaid Managed Care, or
    • Money Follows the Person programs
• Medicaid covers AAC devices
• Equipment / appliances must
  • medically assist (e.g. to help overcome a speech / hearing / cognitive / dexterity / vision functional disability);
  • be used predominantly for this purpose and not generally by individuals without a disability; and
  • be ordered by a physician as part of a plan of care

4. Medicare

Work in Progress

For Americans 65 and over, or with a disability

• Medicare Part B covers up to 80 percent of the cost of assistive technologies such as speech generating devices (SGD)
• The Medicare definition of speech generating devices may now include devices that generate text (such as the Konnekt Captioning Videophone) for the purpose of communicating with caregivers and physicians
• The device must be medically necessary to the individual, e.g. to improve the functioning of hearing or speech, or to overcome a vision or mobility condition that limits daily communications
• The device must be predominantly in use to support such medical purposes, and generally not useful to someone without illness, injury or disability; for example, the Captioning Videophone is used predominantly to support hearing/speaking disabilities, and the regular Konnekt Videophone is used predominantly to support communication for a person with cognitive impairment, partial blindness or a mobility/dexterity disability

5. Private health insurance

Employer-sponsored or self-funded

Assistive Technology devices and services, including Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, are covered by hundreds of commercial health insurers

6. Veterans Affairs Assistive Technologies

For veterans and active duty service members

• The US Department of Veteran Affairs can help with  Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices (AAC)
• A Konnekt Videophone can augment speech through the use of gestures, captions, facial expressions and lip reading

7. Affordability Connectivity Program (ACP)

For people needing assistance with Internet costs

• ACP provides a $30-per-month discount per household on Internet service

Employer Assistance

For employees with disabilities

If you work, your employer may be obligated to provide a working environment that supports your ability to work effectively. This may include assistive technology, such as a Konnekt Videophone or Captioning Videophone, for your workplace or home office.