1 / 16

Insurance Coverage for Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessments often lead to challenging news for parents, confirming fears or delivering unexpected diagnoses. Intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a proven treatment, but its limited availability and insufficient insurance coverage in Michigan add to the burden on families. Programs like the GIFT and CARE initiatives offer hope through parent training and individualized therapy, yet remain financially prohibitive for many. Understanding these challenges is crucial for advocating effective intervention and insurance reform for Michigan's children with autism.

yosefu
Télécharger la présentation

Insurance Coverage for Autism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Insurance Coverage for Autism Ruth Anan, PhD, BCBA-D

  2. Center for Human DevelopmentDivision of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Meeting Name Meeting Date Meeting Location

  3. Comprehensive Autism Assessment

  4. I’m often the bearer of bad news • After conducting an interdisciplinary assessment, our team of doctors may confirm that a child has an autism spectrum disorder • Sometimes parents already suspect this and their fears are confirmed • On other occasions, the diagnosis may come as a surprise and parents are unprepared for this bad news

  5. Parents ask, ‘What would you do?’ • Intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) • Ample data demonstrating efficacy • Especially when treatment starts early • But there is limited availability of this treatment in Michigan • Lack of insurance coverage for ABA is more badnews for parents

  6. HOPE Center

  7. Beaumont’s HOPE Center • Opened in 2002 • GIFT (Group Intensive Family Training) Program • Intensive ABA for preschool children • Short-term, parent-training model • Small group format • Allows treatment to be more cost-effective • Gives parents sense of empowerment

  8. GIFT Program

  9. What does this treatment look like?

  10. There has been some good news • Our parent-training treatment outcome data were published in a peer-reviewed journal • A few insurances now cover GIFT Program • Beaumont Employee Health Insurance • BCBS of Michigan has a special rider • Several out-of-state insurances companies that already cover ABA treatment

  11. But there is still a lot of bad news • Although less expensive, parent-training still remains financially out of reach for many • Parent-training places a significant on-going burden on parents as the primary providers of their child’s treatment • For many reasons, intensive parent-training is simply not feasible for many families • They need professionally-implemented ABA

  12. Some more good news • In 2004 we added another treatment model • CARE (Children with Autism Reaching Excellence) Program • Delivers high-quality, intensive, professionally- • implemented ABA (for up to several years) • Preschool children receive individual therapy, but in context of small group setting

  13. CARE Program

  14. Yes, it’s effective, but... • It is cost-prohibitive for most families ($60,000/year for full time CARE Program) • Almost no insurance in Michigan covers this individual, intensive ABA therapy • Most parents “cut corners” by enrolling in CARE Program for only half-days when child’s condition warrants full-day treatment

  15. It won’t be good newsuntil it’s covered by insurance

  16. Michigan’s children need good news!

More Related