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By J. Patrick Coolican (contact) 
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009 | 2 a.m.
RACE AND AUTISM: The charts show the racial breakdown for autistic children and young adults under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in Nevada when compared to all disabilities (including learning disabilities, speech impairments and emotional disturbance) under the act during the 2007 school year.
HOW NEVADA COMPARES: The chart shows estimated rates of autism in each state for age groups served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act during the 2007 school year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with autism; roughly 4 in 1,000 (or 1 in 250) Nevadans 3 to 21 years old received special education and related services through the act because of autism.
Sun coverage
Democrats in the state Assembly will unveil legislation this week to force insurance companies to provide coverage for the treatment of autism.
The measure stands a strong chance of passing, given that it has the support of the leaders of the Senate and the Assembly.
The idea has become a contentious issue nationwide, as autism diagnosis has increased markedly in recent decades. Autism, a developmental disorder often impairing socialization, is now diagnosed in 1 out of every 150 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The cost of effective treatment can reach $24,000 to $40,000 per year per child, with additional costs resulting from the various medical conditions that usually accompany autism, according to Ralph Toddre, founder of the Autism Coalition of Nevada, who also sits on the Nevada Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Insurance companies have traditionally declined to pay for treatment, which usually involves intensive speech and occupational therapy. They assert that the care is not strictly medical even though it arises from a medical condition.
But autism treatment mandates are sweeping the country, in Democratic states such as Pennsylvania as well as in Republican states such as Arizona and Louisiana. The New Mexico Senate approved a measure just this week.
The bill poses an important policy question: Who pays for Nevada’s neediest and most vulnerable?
Assemblyman James Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, said the insurance industry, which he called a “regulated monopoly,” is often guided by “perverse incentives” not to cover various conditions. He said it is time for government intervention.
On the other hand, mandates for coverage invariably increase the price of insurance premiums, which critics say is a perilous policy as the recession deepens and employers consider dropping health benefits to cut costs. According to an actuarial study completed by the Council for Affordable Health Insurance, the mandate would add 1 percent or less to premiums, though the estimate only included individual and small group rates.
“Forcing people to buy things through mandated coverage they don’t need and may never use has greatly driven up costs across the country,” said Joel White, executive director of the Coalition for Affordable Health Coverage in Washington.
White said there’s no dispute that incidence of autism has reached crisis proportions and that families with autistic children need significant help, though he said it should be through other means, specifically government programs that would insure the essentially uninsurable.
Edmund F. Haislmaier, a health care policy analyst with the conservative Heritage Foundation, largely agreed, and said treatment should be paid for by Medicaid or school districts. He said the mandate on insurance companies is essentially a tax increase on those who pay premiums.
The insurance industry also notes the mandates would not apply to as many as 40 percent of plans in Nevada because they fall outside the purview of state regulation and thus can ignore the mandates. These include plans covering some government workers, but also collective bargaining trusts, such as the Culinary Union’s health plan, which is regulated by the Labor Department through the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Bobbette Bond, a lobbyist for the Culinary health fund, said she’s aware of no coverage mandated by Nevada law that Culinary doesn’t also provide.
The Culinary may need to consider adding autism treatment if it wants to continue to match state mandates, because it seems highly possible the bill will become law.
Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, was Ohrenschall’s first co-signer, and Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, is also supportive. A spokesman for Gov. Jim Gibbons didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Buckley said insurance lobbyists have told her they understand this is a policy goal of the Democratic-controlled Legislature and are willing to assist in the crafting of an eventual law.
Ohrenschall has also won the support of several Assembly Republicans, including a key advocate, Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury, R-Henderson, who teaches autistic children in the Clark County School District.
For their proponents, these laws offer a win-win: They gather support from an energized and well-organized constituency, and they force the insurance industry to pay for treatment that might otherwise fall to the state or school districts, and, in the case of the Silver State, Nevada Early Intervention Services.
If neither the insurance industry nor the government pays, the burden is left with families with autistic children.
Toddre, who has two autistic children, said, “The financial burden is unbelievable to try to give your child a decent future and a decent life.”
No matter who pays, data suggest the upfront treatment is cost-effective.
Autism is referred to by clinicians as Autism Spectrum Disorders, which refers to the wide range of symptoms and functionality among those born with it. The shared symptoms include problems with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or interests, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Without intensive treatment, autistic children will more than likely become wards of the state when they reach adult age.
Woodbury cited research showing 47 percent of children who receive early intervention and at least 30 hours per week of treatment lead independent lives as adults.
Of those who do not, 90 percent need a lifetime of expensive custodial care.
Ralph Toddre has 2 children with Autism.
Why do individuals keep having babies when they produce ones with disabilities. Angela Suleman had 3 out of 6 children with disabilities. We have no idea if any of the additional eight babies will have disabilities. If parents cannot afford to raise disable children, stop having them. I have a disabled brother that was not born with disabilities and he is the youngest. My parents were smart enough to know when to quit having babies.
Ralph Toddre adopted his children with Autism and has no genetic relationship to them, however his compassion and unconditional love outweighs that fact. Many parents had children who were not diagnosed and begin developing normally until a certain time (different for everyone) when the symptoms of Autism come on abruptly and suddenly. Especially for those who's children are close in age to one another.
Why not attach a bill for the treatment of alzheimers?
Complaining about parents making "defective" babies cuts dangerously close to forced sterilization or other such crimes.
Why would someone try to make a comment about Ralph Toddre in such a manner?
In response to those who imply that children with autism should never be born:
Did you know it is speculated that Bill Gates is on the spectrum? He was supposedly not talking until between 3-5 years of age. We are only even able to make such comments online due to a genius like him. Have you heard of Temple Grandin, a famous professor with autism? She has made some of the greatest inventions and solved problems in cases where no one else could. Autism does not always co-occur with M.R. or other medical problems. In some cases (number unknown) it is a gift for the individual who has it. Autism comes with many unique strengths for the world.
Treatments in the bill (such as speech, Lovass, OT) make it more possible for these individuals to do great things for the world!
We owe Ralph Toddre a huge applause for his help in this matter.
It is imperative that Legislators create a public-private partnership for the provision of care. Autism Spectrum Disorders is the fastest growing developmental disability affecting more children than AIDS, childhood cancer and diabetes combined. All of which are covered by insurance.
Autism is a medial condition and Nevada's practice of allowing insurance companies to exclude coverage is discriminatory. Insurance companies should be part of the solution. Children with autism who do not receive treatment will need services for the rest of their lives. The price tag for a lifetime of care for ONE untreated person with Autism could be as high as $6 million. We the tax payers will pay for that in the future, if we choose to do nothing now. Given the epidemic increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism, your support of health insurance coverage is critical to the fiscal health of Nevada and the taxpayer.
Insurance should definitely have to cover for the treatments. It is discrimination for them to not to, as autism is not an "emotional disorder" as they try claim, but it is a distinct neurological condition and these individuals process emotions and the world differently. Symptoms can manifest after birth or not until later on. In many cases, especially severe functioning to moderately functioning autism, many medical conditions arise and co-occur with it as a result (C.P., M.R., apraxia or dysarthria, which is a medical condition giving rise to difficulty speaking or imitating, for one). The cost to society will be huge if it not treated early on and covered by insurance.
Nobody wants to bring a child into this world with a disability. Unfortunately disabilities, for whatever reason(s) occur. It is our obligation as members of this nation to unite our efforts to provide a better life for our future; that being our children. This bill stipulates that only effective interventions will be utilized. Autism treatment is effective for over 90% of the population with 47% being able to recover and lose their diagnosis. As a parent there is no monetary value one can attach to the quality of life treatment can provide. As a taxpayer, the cost benefit of early treatment will help keep these children out of institutions, thereby saving up to millions of dollars per individual over their lifetime, as well as bring new jobs to a depressed economy. This bill is forward thinking and progressive, and those who have spent endless hours into it's drafting must be commended.
I have been working with children with autism for the past five and a half years by means of behavior intervention. The progress I have seen children make is priceless! There is a 47% chance that children receiving behavioral intervention can become indistinguishable from their peers and live a healthy, typical life without the diagnosis of autism. Despite the advances children with autism can make, families (who did not ask to have children with autism) are unable to pay for the services that could help their children live a typical life and in turn benefit our future and economy. Every day people enquire about services for their children only to find out that they cannot afford them. As a person who loves all children and people, has a passion for for helping children with autism, and will soon have a child of my own; I hope that these life changing services will be around for all who need them. 90% of the population is affected by autism. Can you think of a better use of insurance money?
As a parent of a child diagnosed with Autism, I have seen first hand what a difference effective vs ineffective interventions can make in our childrens lives. However, my husband and I have not been able to provide our son the effetive treatment that he deserves without a hefty price tag. We are and always have been hard working, tax paying citizens. When we chose to have a child like millions of other couples, we had no way of knowing what God was going to bless us with a child that has a disability. Like every other parent we want the best for our son, yet we have been treated like we are commiting a crime for trying to get him the treatment that works. Why is it that if a child is born with a heart problem, hearing problem or disease insurance covers that no problem? It is simply unfair and unethical for so many families like us to be practically forced into bankruptcy to give our children a chance at a normal life. The state services for autism early intervention are minimal at best. The bottom line is the insurance companies are discriminating against children with autism. This bill will allow us to continue providing our son the therapy that he is thriving on. If this bill does not pass we as a family will be forced to make some tough decisions. We should not be faced with the decision to leave our homes, families and good jobs to move a state that has already mandated insurance coverage. However, we refuse to sit back and let this precious early intervention window pass us by. Please help us help our children, they are our future. We will do whatever we have to in order to help our sons future. Lets give these kids a fighthing chance. Please go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Nevada-... and sign this petition to show our legislators and insurance companies just how many children and families are being effected. Now is the time to speak up for our children.
It is devastating when you receive a diagnosis of autism for your child. It is even more devastating when you find out that your insurance doesn't cover the necessary and basic therapies that will help. Early diagnosis, early intervention and treatment are the keys to helping those affected by autism live a productive and independent life. Without proper medical coverage, our children don't have a fighting chance. Imagine that you have a disease and the treatments that were available to improve the quality of your life were not covered by insurance; Not your doctor visits, testing, treatments or any other relevant services. That is EXACTLY what it is like for parents who have a child (or children) with an autism spectrum disorder. Our children with autism need treatment and the only way they can get it is if insurance companies cover the effective therapies that are proven to help. I am hopeful that our legislators and those of you reading this will support this bill and help Nevada join the other states in mandating insurance coverage for our children with autism.
My feeling on this issue is deeply personal. Our son who is 3years old has autism. Our precious little boy was diagnosed a year ago and life as we knew it drastically changed. Our hearts shattered and our hopes for our son's future were torn apart with each skill lost. At diagnosis our little guy lost all speech, had no eye contact, would violently protest to being touched, Could not be in public settings without throwing horrible tantrums,lost the ability to feed himself, and his only interest being flicking his fingers in front of his face or staring at letters. Though we are in a dramatically different place today it is still so painful to even write those words. Desperate to help our son we began seeking services only to find the costs were far beyond are capabilities and were perplexed to learn the insurance company we pay so much for would not cover any of the costs. If it was not for funding we would not have been able to begin our son's in home Lovaas program. The treatment Ryan received from Lovaas DRAMATICALLY changed his life and our entire families lives. Today, Ryan is talking, learning, plays with his sisters, is able to feed himself independently, is learning to ride a tricycle, our Lovaas team has taught Ryan so many meaningful appropriate play skills that you will find Ryan making those good choices and gone are the days of flicking the fingers, he enjoys outings in the community, and lights up the lives of anyone who spends time with him. With the funding we were fortunate to receive effective early intervention which is giving our son the chance at a independent life. Which in turn means our typical daughters have a chance at a typical life, so in saving a child an entire family is saved! I strongly urge everyone to be aware this number of 1 and 150 is the number of real children and they Will grow up. What we do not care about today will dramatically effect everyone's tomorrow! As a community let's build a stronger tomorrow! Please go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Nevada and sign this petition to show you our legislators and insurance companies your support. If this bill is not passed and we loose our funding in June of 2009 our family would no longer be able to provide the vary treatment that is dramatically helping our son in every area of need. Please Help!
My friend has an Autistic 3 year old boy and she is is absolutely amazing. She is a single mom and she is such a strong person to get her son the treatment he needs. She is coming up with all these obstacles with insurance and no coverage. We need to get this bill passed so that everyone like my friend Tiffany can get the insurance coverage they need. The funding from Lovaas has definitely helped out and needs to be continued because it is so important. Treatments in the bill (such as speech, Lovass, OT) make it more possible for these individuals to do great things for the world! Autism is disability that the child will have for the rest of his/her lives and the insurance companies need to cover this since the average person doesnt have an extra $25,000 or more for therapies and treatments that are needed to give the child a independent guality of life when they get older.
I am a big supporter also and will do everything I can do to help her son Jayden he is the best litle guy in the world.
Please sign this petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Nevada-...... and sign this petition to let our legislators and insurance companies know just how many children and families are being effected. Now is the time to speak up for our children.
Can you imagine 150 children on a school playground playing? One of them will have Autism. Think of that when you drive past a park or a school yard.
Nevada alone estimates over 5,000 children with ASD (Nevada Autism Task Force report 2008). I am a proud and active parent of four beautiful children and my two youngest have the diagnoses of Autism.
When my four year old daughter was diagnosed with Autism, I was expecting my four child, and instead of tears of joy, because it was my first boy, I had tears of confusion, sadness, and overwhelming fears of the unknown.
Parents of children with Autism ride an emotional and endless rollercoaster. My rollercoaster ride began with the diagnoses in 2006 and it took me on a financial and devastating downward spiral until I found Re-Building all Goals Efficiently and Desert Regional Center. RAGE and DRC were the organizations who received last legislation AB 629 funding. AB 629 funded my daughters Applied Behavior Analysis program through the Lovaas Center. Because of that funding and the Lovaas center my daughter went from functioning at an 8 month level to a 2 year old level with only receiving 8 months of programming (she still receives DRC funds to this day). She is gaining and building new skills in all areas daily. In addition, my son is currently receiving funding through RAGE. I along with over 100 other families are struggling to accept reality that the funds are disappearing June 31, 2009.
We are asking legislators to be smart and to look now as well as into the future of our great state. A lower functioning non-treated adult with Autism through the lifespan of 50 years old would cost the state up to 6 million dollars (Nevada Autism Task Force report 2008). I ask can the state, can Nevadans handle those kind of numbers? Can I ask Nevadans to help out with a little over a dollar a month to help treat children and adults with Autism? The data shows treatment is cost-effective. I like the words COST_EFFECTIVE. Nevadans like the words COST-EFFECTIVE. If it is not done right and not done effectively our children, parents, and Nevadans will both feel the effects and see the harm of a downward rollercoaster that we as parents live with everyday.
Nobody makes the choice to have a child with a disability, but when it happens, hard working families should not have to watch their child suffer because health care services are cost prohibitive. Parents who have children with autism are asking to use the insurance coverage they pay for each month. An insurance company should not have the right to deny insurance coverage to a child because they don't want to cover a necessary medical treatment. That is discrimination. Thank you to the Las Vegas Sun for educating our community about the challenges faced by families impacted by autism. And thank you to our State Legislature for not backing down, and looking to find ways to ensure children with autism get the health care and early intervention services they need to become productive citizens of our State.
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The first comment regarding having more children after one has been diagnosed with a disability is irrelevant to the real issue: providing the necessary supports to children with autism and their families. Mr. Toddre may have good intentions, but he is clearly missing the point of the legislation and his comments are consistent with archaic perceptions that persons with disabilities are somehow less valuable (or a burden) to our society. Let us value every life, regardless of ability, and support those who need supports. By denying access to supports and services that have profound positive effects on individuals (and society at-large), insurance companies have discriminated against a specific population of individuals and promoted the viewpoint that children with autism are less valuable than others (such as those with Alzheimer's; a disease covered by most insurance policies and different issue altogether).
Insurance companies discriminate for one reason: money. Indeed the cost for effective treatment is initally high, but early intensive behavioral intervention produces outcomes that yield overall increased quality of life, including gainful employment, participation in the community, and independent living. While employment and the subsequent tax revenue attributed to it is a positive governmental financial byproduct of treatment, the issue of achieving a satisfactory quality of life is equally significant and a moral responsibility of our society.
Thus, two arguments should be put forth to support this legislation: Early intensive behavioral intervention (a) produces outcomes that decrease a person's dependence on government support systems and yield additional sources of government revenue and (b) providing the necessary supports and services to children with autism and their families is the morally responsible thing to do. I applaud the efforts of long time advocate Jan Crandy as well as the Families for Effective Autism Treatment of Southern Nevada, Nevada Parents Encouraging Parents, and other advocates who continually fight for those things which should be provided without question. I urge every reader to forward this article to friends, family, and professionals throughout the State. We must all contact our Assemblyperson and State Senator to tell them how vital this bill is to Nevada's children, families, other stakeholders, and our government.
Let's do this, not because we feel sorry for persons with autism and not because families "choose" to have child that may be diagnosed with disability, but because it is a moral obligation. All persons can learn, all persons have value and can contribute to society, and all parents have the right to have a child with or without a disability without fear of criticism or lack of access to vital services.
The limited funding sources that are available in Nevada for a limited number of children do NOT support a program providing the research recommended hours. Research has demonstrated a child needs an intensive treatment program which involves 30-40 hours a week. Most of the self-directed programs in Nevada support 10 hours a week at best. Which research has already proven is not enough. Less than 6% of Nevadans with ASD are getting any help to pay for treatment.
How many families do you know who could afford to pay out of pocket for 40 hours a week of treatment to save their child. Families are making hard decisions in attempt to do so and failing. And what about the child who's parent can not afford to pay anything, do we just sentence that child and family to a lifetime of hopelessness. Insurance companies need to to the right thing.
Nevada's data on the number of children with autism is also hard to rely on as the school district number and chart provided with this article demonstrates, the number only accounts for children with the single eligibility of Autism, children with multiple eligibilities are not included in that figure.
The Department of Health and Human Services last legislative session estimated the number was over 5,000 Nevadans 0-21 with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The number is 1 in 150 children born today will be diagnosed with Autism, Nevada is no exception.
How to raise taxes and hide them.. Take a cause, this time autism, and force it to be included in health insurance so the state no longer has to pick up the tab. Then blame insurance companies next year when every policy is raised to cover the amount spent. Two great press releases for the politician, one covering the need, and another blasting the insurance companies for actually charging to cover it. This is how politician cover their rears and make headlines while fooling the voters every year.
So neiman, you are for screwing working families with disabilities? Are you for corporate greed and not helping people who legally should be getting that help? Or are you just vacuuous and have no real idea what you are talking about?
Our grandson has autism. Over the past year we have seen dramatic improvement with his Lovaas program. If my daughter and family loose the very funding and if the insurance bill does not pass, my grandson will not have a fighting chance. My daughter and her family would seriously consider moving to a state that offers supports and provides insurance. Parents who have children with autism are asking to use insurance they pay for each month. Help the children with autism get the help they need so they can become productive citizens of our State. Thank you.
We believe our son Jack is the poster child of "Hope". With a moderate to severe diagnosis exactly one year ago at 2 yrs. 3 months old 2/08 to a now mild to moderate 2/09. Jack has only made this huge leap in 10 months because of early intervention, and funding for ABA. It has been crucial to his recovery.
There is without a doubt that without this effective therapy our son would still be sitting in a corner oblivious to anyone around him. To those parents who have a child diagnosed with ASD we know without this bill we will have to surrender our homes, cars and possible relocate to another state that does cover the effective treatment of autism to help our boy's and girls.
There is help! There is HOPE! There are people who hold the keys to this disability called autism. We need the insurance to help our sons and daughters~ they are the future, and the future to us is BRIGHT!
We know the state of Nevada has a budget shortfall~however, there is a solution to provide help to our children~ we need the bill to require insurance companies to cover the EFFECTIVE treatment of autism and please continue the funding to help those precious children who do not have insurance.
We believe every dollar spend on these children in their developmental years will be $10.00 saved in the care of them in the future.
You all hold the keys to these wonderful children's future now PLEASE and with HOPE unlock the door!!!!
I have to commend jaydensdream1027 for saying that autism is something a person will have for the rest of their lives. I also have to commend Mr. Traver's thesis in articulating the importance of insurance coverage and the discrimination against autism performed both by insurance companies and even normal (though well intentioned) people.
It is good that this bill will cover for individuals with PDD-NOS and asperger's syndrome too. Why not throw everything under the "autism" label?
We mustn't forget the research behind Lovaas that brings individuals up to a whole new or "normal" level of functioning (from low functioning autism to, say moderately or high functioning autism, or say, from moderate autism to what would then clinically appear to mirror asperger's syndrome, or "normal" to the non clinical eye). This said, Lovaas and early intensive behavioral interventions are like the miraculous and critical foundation of a strong pyramid that provides a solid base and link up the spectrum hierarchy to the top. It allows other therapies and treatments to become effective.
We know that the neurology of these individuals remains distinctly different, even after such wonderful recovery, therefore I must commend the bill for covering for other necessary treatments besides just early intensive behavioral intervention (as critical as it is as a first step for recovery). For one, in the realm of counseling and clinical psychology, there is much efficacy behind the world renown expert's program on cognitive behavior therapy, called "Exploring Feelings," not to mention the various role playing "drama class" interventions that can help to alleviate social anxiety, therefore alleviating the risk of a later on comorbid depression that comes from a sense of social isolation.
Early intervention services for children with autism are critical for those children and families affected by autism. Kudos to those who have acknowledge the needs of these children and are doing all they can to provide the same opportunity that others have in living a full and productive life.
Some time last year I watched a program on I think the Discovery channel that dealt with increasing medical costs and the insurance industry. The point of one of the individuals on the program was they thought that within the near future if you did not have insurance that you would not be treated (even emergency room) and if you had insurance it would amount to over 25% of the average income.
If that is even close to accurate we have a BIG problem headed this way. We as a society have certain things we must do. Now we need to figure how to pay for them.
More than a decade ago my family was introduced to the devasting world of autism. My cousin was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 3...his mother was pregnant with his little sister at the time not knowing her son had this disorder. A few years later his sister was diagnosed as well. Until the recent legislative session, neither of these children received effective-evidence based treatment, and now in their teens, each of these children are severly affected. Neither will live independant lives and the yougest at the age of 15 still has no meaningful speech.
Conversly, my own son born a decade later was diagnosed with autism also at the age of three. Within a year of his diagnosis, my husband and I were able to secure early-effective treatment for him. Today, My son is almost seven years old and has been mainstreamed into typical kindergarten and now first grade. We are hopeful that in the near future, he will no longer need the expensive treatment our family has fought so hard to give him.
No parent wants to hear that their child has a disabilty, disease, or disorder no matter if it is autism or leukemia. No parent wants to continually have children with a disabilty. What parents of children with autism want is to be able to help thier children.The passing of this bill will empower parents to help their children. Please sign the petition to help end insurance discrimination. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Nevada