Lawmakers Push To Mandate Insurance Coverage For Autism
By Susan Essoyan, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"We think it's time to take action and make significant inroads on autism," Sen.
A vote on Senate Bill 2631 is set for Tuesday during a joint meeting of the Health and Consumer Protection committees.
If the bill is ultimately passed and signed into law,
In its current wording, the bill would require coverage of screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder for individuals through age 25 with a
Autism is a developmental brain disorder that hampers the ability to communicate and interact socially and can cause disruptive behavioral problems. The condition has no cure, but early intervention can help overcome its disabling aspects. The most common treatment involves intensive, individualized behavioral therapy, which has traditionally not been covered by medical insurance.
Insurers oppose the legislation as an "unfunded mandate" that could require them to pay for ineffective therapies.
"Since these services are already being provided through public entities, passage of this mandated benefit would represent a huge cost shift to the private sector, specifically to employers who provide the lion's share of health care coverage in the state,"
Legislators heard from parents, behavioral therapists and Dr.
"All the research shows that throwing a lot of money into treatment early, that's the most effective," said
Also testifying Wednesday was
"I gave up my legal career to advocate full time for individuals with autism when I saw the inequity in the insurance arena," Unumb said. She and her husband spent
The number of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has shot up in recent decades, and the
In
"It has been an extremely difficult journey and has put a burden on our family emotionally and financially," Henriques said. "Most of the cost of various treatments and therapies that our son has received has been paid by my husband and me. We have depleted all of our personal savings, our IRAs. ... The great news is that our son, now 8 years old, is doing very well. He is no longer receiving special education services and is excelling in a regular public school classroom."
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