In case you were still under the assumption that health insurance companies were put on earth to help take care of our kids' health, don't worry. We thought that once too. But non-profit autism advocacy group Autism Speaks says just eight states in the nation have laws requiring group insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment of autistic kids. Insurance companies in the rest of the U.S. are still eager to debate whether treatment is "educational" or "medical."
Susan Pisano, a spokeswoman for America's Health Insurance Plans, told the Associated Press this week that the industry is wary of laws that order a specific treatment because research may come up with something new around the corner. OK, that I get. But they'd rather we just don't treat the kids?
Well, according to Pisano, it's not necessarily a health issue. The insurance industry's passing the buck to the educational system.
Sounds a lot like the insurance companies we all know and love . . . to hate. Meanwhile, couples like Reza and Arzu Forough have had to move back in with Grandma to afford the cost of their 12-year-old's care. They both work full-time, both have health insurance. If son Shayan were to throw a tantrum, fall, break his leg and need a cast, chances are the insurance company would pay for it. But it won't pay for the treatment that the Foroughs credit with helping him learn to talk about his frustrations rather than throw a tantrum.
Bills are winding their way through the legislatures in a number of states, and Autism Speaks has begun campaigning in even more to get the topic into legislator's heads for 2009. The non-profit's goal is to have legislation on the books in all 50 states to help families of autistic kids.
Next step? Making those insurance plans affordable.
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