With news of A-Rod on steroids, Michael Phelps taking bong rips and an international economic collapse, I find it hard to be surprised by the news anymore.
Which is why, last Wednesday, I could hardly believe my eyes when I opened the morning paper and saw the words “Autism” and “health coverage” in the headlines.
In a press conference last Tuesday, Gov. Jim Doyle called for a strengthening of an existing Senate bill requiring insurance companies to cover the medical costs for children with autism. Currently, most insurance providers do not cover autism-related treatments because it is considered an emotional disorder instead of a neurological disorder.
A similar bill was brought in by Democrats last session but did not pass in the Republican-controlled state Assembly.
In a country torn apart by its inefficient, prohibitively expensive and misguided health care system, one has come to expect little in the way of practical, necessary coverage. Autism is often overlooked in health care coverage altogether.
Autism is a mysterious, complex and diverse disorder that has more variations than definitions, and very little is known about its origins. It is diagnosed along a spectrum, with very different symptoms and levels of functionality on each end of the spectrum. The most common characteristics are impaired social interaction and communication and repetitive behaviors, which can be a devastating diagnosis for both a child and their family.
The treatments for autism range from play therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, work with speech-language pathologists, medication and more, and can be — and usually are — very expensive. Unfortunately, many children who require these services do not receive them and are often not even diagnosed because they are in low-income families.
While there is still much more to be uncovered about the causes, symptoms and treatment of autism, the last decade has provided an astounding amount of new research on the disorder. In recent years, new developments have ensured that the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder can be spotted earlier and earlier. We also know now more than ever how important early intervention for ASD is, and that the earlier treatment is begun, the better a child’s prospects for a normal and functioning life become.
This is why
Gov. Doyle’s proposal would help lessen the burden by mandating that all insurance companies cover therapy and treatment for autism. While I believe that this is a noble and long-overdue proposal, I agree with critics of Doyle’s plan in that private insurance might not be the best option for Wisconsin.
According to the Wisconsin Association of Healthcare Plans, 5 percent of the state is uninsured completely, and 29 percent use publicly funded insurance like Medicaid. If this is the case, then the focus of Gov. Doyle’s proposal should be to cover autism treatment with publicly funded programs, not private insurance, so that they are available to everyone, not just those families who are insured. This would also allow adults with autism to access the care they need when they cannot claim dependence on their family’s health plan.
While mandating that private insurers cover ASD-related care would help many of Wisconsin’s 35,000 residents with autism, it would certainly not come close to helping all of them, and would also mean a hefty increase in costs for employers — one estimate reaching $90 million. R.J. Pirlot of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce argues that, “For roughly $6 million annually, Wisconsin can eliminate the waiting list for autism services.”
Gov. Doyle’s bill will likely pass in the Democrat-controlled Assembly, and it will very likely help many of Wisconsin’s residents with autism, though, it would not help as many as it otherwise could if reformulated to apply to public assistance. By taking the burden off private employers, Gov. Doyle could eliminate waiting lists for state-funded care, which some families wait on for up to two years.
Although his proposal is not the best solution, Gov. Doyle has taken a huge leap forward for autism awareness and has brought to the state’s attention an often-overlooked disorder that is in dire need of state funding.
In an economy more turbulent than the Gulf of Mexico in June, it is hard to imagine doling out another multi-million dollar bill for taxpayers to take on, and we certainly don’t have much wiggle room in the state budget. But it is important in burdened circumstances such as these that we keep in mind that the health of our residents should be a priority, and we take this priority seriously.
Laura Brennan ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in communicative disorders.
