By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Proposed federal legislation designed to improve the
quality of life for people with autism would raise the premium costs on
insurance plans to cover the disorder, not just insurance companies
like the bill that failed in the state Legislature this year,
supporters said Monday.
“This is a fabulous bill,” said Diana Varady, president of the
Arkansas Autistic Children’s Support Group and a member of the
legislative task force created in 2007 to look at how the state deals
with people with autism.
“The federal proposal is a little more comprehensive,” Varady said,
adding that if it does not appear to have widespread congressional
support her group likely will ask the Legislature next year to
reconsider the legislation that passed the Senate but failed in the
House.
The Autism Treatment Acceleration Act of 2009, filed last week by
U.S. Reps Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and Chris Smith, R-N.J., is a companion
bill of the same name introduced in the Senate in April.
“This is much more extensive and would treat more people,” said
state Sen. Mary Ann Salmon, D-North Little Rock, sponsor of the failed
state legislation that would have raised insurance premiums by an
average of $1.48 per month and require insurance companies to offer
coverage for children ages 10 and under.
Varady said the federal proposal would also raise insurance rates less than 1 percent, but she did not know exactly how much.
If the federal legislation succeeds, it “would be like a holiday for
parents of autistic children and would give them hope,” Salmon said.
Along with requiring health insurers to cover the diagnosis and
treatment of autism disorders, including Applied Behavior Analysis
therapy, assistive communication devices and other treatment, the bill
also would establish a national training initiative on autism, as well
as an assistance center to develop and expand training and continuing
education for adults with autism.
Salmon said she also plans to urge the state’s congressional delegation to support the federal legislation.
Varady said the federal proposal “would impact all policies, like
Wal-Mart, Tyson and UAMS, that never would have been impacted at all by
the state proposal.”
“All self-funded insurance plans which would be impacted by the
federal legislation,” she said. “Any health insurance would be affected
by the federal insurance.”
U.S. Sens. David Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, both D-Ark., along with
U.S. Reps. John Boozman, R-Rogers, and Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, each
said in statements Monday that they support initiatives that help
families of those with autism and that they would consider the Autism
Treatment Acceleration Act.
“Approximately 1.5 million American families are affected by autism
spectrum disorders,” Lincoln said. “For the well-being of these
families, I believe the federal government must continue to make
investments in autism research and provide funding for services to
ensure school children receive the care they need.”
LINK: http://arkansasnews.com/2009/05/18/federal-autism-bill-proposed-more-sweeping-than-failed-state-bill/
Hillary