Dachel Media Update: Utah Scraps Autism Insurance
Feb 28, 2013, Salt Lake Tribune: Bill requiring insurance coverage for autism scrapped
"A bill to mandate insurance coverage for autism treatment received a drastic makeover Thursday in the Utah Senate, disappointing hundreds of parents who hoped they could soon afford the necessary therapies for their children.
"In its original form, SB55 would have required insurance coverage for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. About 18,000 such youth live in Utah, said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Brian Shiozawa, R-Cottonwood Heights.
"Realizing the measure lacked the votes to pass either legislative chamber, Shiozawa pared it back Thursday, nixing the insurance and confining it to expansion of a pilot program enacted last year. He is asking to double participants to 500 and raise the age limit to seven. The current pilot program tops out at age six."
"Mirella Petersen, mother of an autistic child and president of Utah Autism Coalition, praised Shiozawa for his tireless efforts, adding that thousands of parents were devastated to learn that SB55 could not advance in its original form."
Utah is going to help 500 children with autism in the state. It seems that everyone else is out of luck. I posted comments.
You can spend a fortune on private teachers (with all parental
dedication and 100% support) and your
autistic adult still needs to have support for a lifetime.We have to find or create supported living centers for them,or if we have a caring sibling (who will carry on with the responsibilities to take care of the autistic adult)then they will make it.
Posted by: oneVoice | March 04, 2013 at 01:58 PM
The problem might be in the fact that the fees required by people providing the treatments are too high.
another point is that despite all of the treatments - autistic children do NOT turn into independent adults.
the 1987 study by Lovaas claimed 47% success, but today it is obvious that this is not so.
and yet - ABA gets more and more expensive.
in 1990 - Lovaas said that he used only non-professionals, and then he "decided" to add the BCBA requirement.
so, if non-professionals had supposedly achieved a 47% success rate - how come the "professional" BCBA do not achieve 1% (one percent)?????
I am writing from Israel. I used to live in the U.S.
Posted by: Rachel | March 03, 2013 at 01:24 AM
It is a sad day for Utah and for a few other states that continue to place the selfish interests of Insurance Lobby and State Chambers above the interests of special needs children.
A recent development in the last couple of years, parents moving to other states that place the needs of our children above the selfish interests.
I just wonder how many families have left or planning on leaving Utah because of this action.
Posted by: Wayne Rohde | March 01, 2013 at 06:22 PM