Autism and ABA: Let Me Hear YOUR Voice.
Filmed in 2017
Abstract: In 2004, the New York Times wrote that “no disability claims more parental time and energy than autism.” Families dealing with autism face many hardships, not the least of which is financial hardship. One reason for the financial hardship is the failure of the health insurance industry to cover treatments for, and sometimes even diagnosis of, autism. As recently as the turn of the millennium, it was widely accepted that health insurance did not cover even the standard treatments for autism. Sadly, few individuals with autism reach their potential because, in the absence of consistent funding, most do not have access to treatment that is appropriate in quality and quantity. Appropriate care is both difficult to find and difficult to afford. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality wrote that the “delivery and organization of care for ASD is very fragmented, with pieces scattered about in the primary care, school, and specialty clinical settings. It is left to the families and caregivers of patients with ASD to find and assemble these pieces.” Recently, there has been a national movement toward legislating meaningful health insurance coverage for individuals with autism. Since 2007, more than 40 states have enacted legislation requiring coverage of ABA. In this session, we will explore the laws that now require health insurance and Medicaid coverage of ABA. We will discuss the gaps in coverage that remain and strategies for filling those gaps. We will discuss pitfalls that consumers should watch out for when attempting to utilize insurance and Medicaid benefits. Finally, we will examine the underlying grassroots advocacy that led to meaningful reform and how similar advocacy efforts can lead to other improvements in autism-related laws.
Learning Objectives:
- Attendees will be able to identify 5 pitfalls as it relates to third party payers/payment and behavioral intervention for individuals diagnosed with ASD.
- Attendees will be able to identify 3 gaps in coverage as it relates to behavioral intervention.
- Attendees will be able to identify 3 ways that they can advocate for appropriate behavioral intervention for individuals diagnosed with ASD.
