Paying for OT in Florida
Most families in Tampa Bay can get OT covered. Most don't know it. Here's every lane, by age.
Under 3
Step Up scholarships start at age 3. Before that, Florida's Early Steps program provides free early intervention, including OT. Jenna can refer you. Private sessions with Jenna can run alongside Early Steps, paid privately or through insurance.
If your child has or is pursuing a qualifying diagnosis, mark your calendar: apply for FES-UA when your child turns 3. Applications open February 1 each year and early filers get priority.
Ages 3–5
Two lanes, and they stack.
Step Up For Students (FES-UA). For children with a qualifying diagnosis. No income limit. Awards are around $10,000 a year, often more, and OT is a covered service. Once approved, sessions with Jenna cost you nothing out of pocket.
Your school district. Districts must evaluate children 3 and up (Child Find) and provide school-based OT under an IEP if a delay affects learning. No medical diagnosis required. Many families use district services and private OT together.
Kindergarten and up
FES-UA continues. PEP (Personalized Education Program) becomes available for children not enrolled full-time in a school, and it can also pay for OT.
Step Up For Students, step by step
Step Up For Students administers Florida's scholarships. The one that pays for therapy is FES-UA (Unique Abilities). Here's the whole process:
Check eligibility. A qualifying diagnosis from a physician, or an IEP, is the documentation.
Apply at stepupforstudents.org. Applications open February 1. Renew every year.
Once awarded, log in to EMA (the scholarship portal).
Open Marketplace and search "Jenna Maurer OTD Services."
Select your child, add "Occupational therapy evaluation" to your cart, and tap Reserve funds.
Book your evaluation. Jenna confirms the reservation on her side and invoices EMA directly. You pay nothing.
Reserve funds before your first appointment. Jenna can only bill EMA for reserved sessions.
Insurance
Jenna is a private-pay practice. If you'd like to submit to insurance, you'll pay at the time of service and receive a superbill (an itemized receipt with codes) to send to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement.
One thing to do first: ask your pediatrician for a prescription for "OT evaluation and treatment" with a diagnosis code, dated before your first evaluation. Insurers count medical necessity from the prescription date, so a script written after the evaluation can leave the evaluation uncovered.
Private pay and scholarship reimbursement
Families without funding, or waiting on an award, pay at the time of service. If you later want to submit receipts to Step Up for reimbursement, Jenna provides receipts with everything they require. Reimbursement is handled between you and Step Up.