Assembly Candidate Should Support Autism Insurance Legislation
To the Editor of the Scarsdale Inquirer:
I was shocked by State Assembly Candidate Thomas Abinanti's Op Ed in the Scarsdale Inquirer "Help People with Autism, Not Insurance Companies," in which he states that legislation S7000 (currently awaiting Governor Paterson's signature), which would put New York at the forefront of a nationwide effort to provide insurance coverage for people with autism, would actually "do harm" to people with autism and would be a boon to insurance companies.
The New York law as currently written would require insurance companies in NY to provide coverage of evidence-based treatments, such as applied behavior analysis (ABA), for people with autism throughout their life span. It is a common-sense and fiscally responsible way to help families access the medically necessary, evidence-based autism therapies that very few can afford without insurance coverage.
The bill is endorsed by Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism advocacy organization, as well as by the American Academy of Pediatrics and a long list of other autism advocacy groups, including the Autism Science Foundation, which I co-founded. A small group within the autism community opposes the law because it provides coverage only for evidence-based, medically sound therapies, rather than blanket coverage for any conceivable autism treatment. And a number of unproven treatments have been proposed for autism, including some that have not been proven efficacious (such as therapeutic animal interactions or hyperbaric oxygen therapy) and others that have inflicted serious harm (such as chelation, which in August 2005 caused the death of a 5-year old autistic boy in Pennsylvania).
Assembly candidate Abinanti writes S7000 was "written by a law firm that represents numerous insurance companies". This is Albany-speak. The law firm that wrote the bill was hired by Autism Speaks. It is true that this large law firm also represents some insurance companies, but insurance companies are not behind the law, nor will they benefit from the additional costs they will incur reimbursing families for medically necessary treatments for autism.
I hardly think the insurance companies are jumping for joy at this bill. Across the country, however, insurance companies are recognizing that with 1 in 110 children now diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, coverage of sound medical treatment for autism is necessary. But it is a disservice to think that insurance should also be required to cover treatments that don't work, that have no basis in medical fact, and in some cases can even cause injury. That approach would simply lead to a huge increase in everyone's premiums, whereas the existing legislation will result in a premium increase of about one-half of one percent.
I have served on the Westchester Autism Advisory Council with Mr. Abinanti for the last two years, and although we don't always agree, I have always felt he was acting in what he believed to be the best interest of the autism community. I would now ask that he, as a candidate for Assembly, reconsider his position and support S7000.
Alison Singer
President, Autism Science Foundation
Michael Smith
6:43 pm on Sunday, August 15, 2010
Tom Abinanti is accurate. The Breslin bill legislates discrimination, creates higher hurdles to mainstream coverage and handcuffs doctors from prescribing customary medical care. No one in the autism community and the dozens of organizations backing the popular bill A6888B were asking for coverage with animals, chelation or hyperbaric oxygen. You are misrepresenting the facts Ms. Singer. We were asking for OT, PT, Speech, assistive technology(dynavox), etc. Mainstream therapies that the mainstream scientific and medical community supports. ABA is not the only thing our kids need. If all these mainstream therapies are going to be covered then why weren't they clearly spelled out in the bills language? This bill was written by an insurance industry lobbyist who represents over 100 major insurance companies. Mr Breslin and Mr. Morelle have taken thousands of dollars from them and the companies they represent. If this bill was a real insurance mandate the insurance industry would have been more vocal and successful in opposing it. The readers need to look at the facts; Dozen of parent attorneys know this bill is bad and discriminatory. The National Autism Association, Autism Action Network, The NYS Occupational Therapy Association, Autism Society Chapters and other autism organizations have written the governor asking for a veto of this bill. This bill will shift costs onto all taxpayers.
Michael Smith
Chairman
Foundation For Autism Information and Research, Inc.
jen
5:34 pm on Monday, August 23, 2010
Hello everyone,
Mr. Smith isn't the cost of ABA therpy, OT, PT and Speech Therapy already on the tax payers! I am an ABA therapist and I get paid through the county in which I live as well as school districts. What about parents taking some of the responsibility? I have had to pay for schooling for my children out of pocket. I am not against assisting the families however the free ride is to much. Also at The EI level children recieve an IFSP which is an Individualized Family Service Plan. In my experience, parents need to take a part in their childrens education and not use these services as free babysitting. I am apologizing now to the parents who have done their part wholeheartedly but you are not in the majority. In the past 7 years in providing families these services I can only say that 3 families participated. That is a very scary number. So if the services are not being used correctly why should tax payers, or insurance companies pay for it. Once again I am sorry if I insulted any family member but I can only speak from my experience. Children do need these services and should recieve the assistance they need but the families need also to be responsible.
Michael Smith
6:20 pm on Monday, August 23, 2010
Jen, the cost is on the families, who pay their insurance premiums, but are denied mainstream medical care. If you had a stroke your speech therapy would be covered under most insurance policies, but, not speech if your kid has autism. The real issue is if this bill is passed insurance companies will be further shielded from having to pay for these vital therapies. So let me get this
right Jen, you are a ABA therapist, work with kids with autism, and are attacking the parents. Only 3 participated? Maybe you have a horrible reputation because all ABA therapists schedules are booked. EI is reimbursed at less than 2% by insurance companies. This bill doesn't do what you might think. All of you reading this read the part of the bill about IFSP and IEP's. You want to deny them medically necessary services because they get some non medical services at school? So Jen, a family that pays their premiums and has shelled out over $100,000 out of pocket(many of us irresponsible parents) should be responsible how when they are broke and the doctors says
What good is insurance if it is not going to cover what you need when you need it? Many have decided to leave private insurance because the 1,300.00 a month was not coving what they needed money for. Now we have a bill that will not allow the doctor to determine medical necessity. Our kids need much more than ABA.
Chris Petrosino
6:53 pm on Monday, August 23, 2010
I wish I could say that ignorance is bliss, but in this case, the ignorance of “jen” is downright dangerous. Any individual who is disabled or sick is entitled to insurance coverage by mainstream therapies such as speech therapy and occupational therapy. These are therapies parents are not qualified to administer. Mr. Smith put forward factual evidence of clear improprieties by Autism Speaks and the Assembly and Senate Committee Insurance chairs. Somehow or another, “jen” skipped over these issues that are screaming out to all of us in the autism community. She did find the time, however, to take an offensive position which includes a myopic, objective opinion about the responsibility levels of parents of autistic children. It is strange that “jen” is coming out against the parents of the children whose unfortunate, debilitating disabilities and poor health are paying her bills. Our hearts and shoulders are burdened. We do not need someone judging us who has not walked in our shoes and/or does not live with autism 24/7. And don't forget, we pay our childrens' way also, with our taxes. Must be the usual “plant” by the operatives who are being paid to assist in the discrimination against our disabled children. The talking point? To rally that this bill will cost you all too much! Fight against it! Same BS. Chris Petrosino, father of Chris, a severely disabled 17 year old boy who benefited greatly by insurance covered speech therapy and occupational therapy.
Susan Varsames
3:53 pm on Wednesday, August 25, 2010
I'd like to hear the opinions of those writing:
Is Autism a medical diagnosis based on laboratory tests or an educational diagnosis based on behavioral observations? Is it both? If our population with spectrum disorders has apraxia, hypotonia, cerebellar vestibular dysfunction, seizure disorders, and mitochondrial dysfunction does it not make sense to cover speech and OT? And if those same folks have social and behavioral disorders and cannot function without ABA therapy, should that not be covered as well? If all treatments have a scientific basis, shouldn't they all be covered?