Fighting For Autism Health Insurance Coverage
Written by Dan on November 28th, 2008 in Misc.
Raising a child with autism can be a frustrating, exhausting experience. Parents tackling this challenge need all the help they can get. That includes insurance coverage to fund the various methods of treating this still mysterious disease.
Problem is, such treatments are not always covered. That’s why the families of autistic children in many states are seeking legislation mandating that autism treatments be covered by insurance providers.
Such an effort is going on now in Virginia. A bill to mandate insurance coverage for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders moved out of a committee last week. If Virginia’s General Assembly approves the bill during the 2009 session, coverage for autism treatments will be a part of all group health insurance policies in the state that serve more than 25 people.
The bill, of course, will need the support of a majority of members in both Virginia’s House of Representatives and Senate to make it to the governor’s desk.
Virginia is far from alone in this issue. The Illinois General Assembly in mid-November passed its own legislation that requires insurers to provide up to $36,000 in coverage every year to families to help them pay for autism treatment until the patient turns 21.
A total of 26 other states and the District of Columbia already require insurance coverage for people with autism.
Will the election of Barack Obama make a difference in the Virginia bill’s fate? Probably not directly. But indirectly? That’s another story.
Our new president has made it no secret that he considers healthcare reform to be one of the most important items on his agenda. Insurance company officials know this. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take as many steps as possible to please Obama in the coming months. Working with state legislators to increase their coverage to include autism treatment might be one small step that the insurers can take to get on the incoming president’s good side.
Sure, such additional coverage will cost the insurance companies more dollars and may force insurers to raise their rates, something that opponents of the new mandated coverages are quick to point out. But helping parents treat their children’s autism is the right thing to do. It’s also the wise thing.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
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December 3rd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Definitely!