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Loudoun County Autism Summit
By Richard | July 31, 2008
Loudoun Families Mobilize to Cover Treatment for Autism
Sydney Wilmer | LoudounExtra.com | Washington Post
Parents of autistic children packed a meeting Monday evening at Lansdowne on the Potomac to rally support for legislation that would ease the disability’s financial burden on families.
Appearing at an event billed as the Loudoun County Autism Summit, they spoke about the financial devastation that an illness not covered by insurance can cause. Most families pay about $50,000 a year in therapy costs for autism treatment, speakers said.
“My family has refinanced our home to get our child what he needs,” Cindy Davis said.
Davis was one of about 20 parents who spoke in favor of the state bill, which would require health insurers in Virginia to cover services such as speech and behavioral therapy for people younger than 21.
Most of the speakers shared similar stories. After their son’s or daughter’s autism was diagnosed, they said, they were forced to make difficult financial decisions about what treatments they could afford. Typically, Davis said, parents must choose between paying for treatment that could help address the child’s developmental delays and paying other bills.
As of December, 528 autistic students were enrolled in the Loudoun public school system, according to Mary Kearney, the school district’s head of special education.
“I’d like to see this bill passed. That’s why I’m here tonight,” said Beverly Tolbert, whose 8-year-old son is autistic. “There are a lot of kids out there being diagnosed. This is a problem. People need to be aware.”
Advocates said the proposed legislation, House Bill 83, would mandate insurance coverage for a program known as applied behavior analysis, which was approved by the surgeon general in 2002 as a way to treat autism. MORE
Topics: In The News, Therapies, Legislation |