RE: Spectrum Magazine / CARE Clinics: Message to Readers - Cris Italia

[Guest guest]

http://spectrumpublications.com/latest/message-to-readers.html

sorry forgot their link.

Kazuko Grace Curtin

The Founder and CEO

Austin Clinic

4201 Bee Caves Rd, B200, Austin, TX 78746

office

Direct fax line

Tampa Clinic

12690 Telecom Drive, Tampa, FL 33637

office

fax

kazuko@...

www.mycareclinics.com

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From:

Texas-Autism-Advocacy

[mailto:Texas-Autism-Advocacy ] On Behalf Of Kazuko, CARE

CLINICS

Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 4:48 PM

To: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

Subject: Spectrum Magazine / CARE Clinics:

Message to Readers - Cris Italia

Importance: High

Message

to Readers

Cris Italia

In our last issue

(Winter ’09) in our readers letter section one reader expressed concern

about CARE Clinics. This section is used for reader feedback, commentary or

suggestions only. The reader’s opinion was their own and did not

represent the views of Spectrum Magazine, it’s management or editorial

staff. Spectrum magazine is in no way in agreement with this opinion. In

response to our reader’s claims, CARE Clinics has asked to address our

readership. Below is a letter written by CARE Clinics founder Kazuko Curtin. If

you have any further questions feel free to contact Editor-In-Chief Cris Italia

at citalia(@)spectrumpublications.com. For more information on CARE Clinics

visit their website at www.mycareclinics.com or e-mail info(@)mycareclinics.com.

- Spectrum Staff

False claims in reader's letter on

“biomedical scams”.

To the Editor:

The letter on

“Biomedical Scams” from Ms. Kimiko Inoue in the most recent edition

of your Letters section makes claims that range from being completely false to

merely inaccurate. I feel I must respond, not only so that other caring parents

are not discouraged from exploring viable treatment options for their autistic

children, but also to defend my good name. I am frustrated that a parent,

who, by her own admission, was “desperate,” would go so far as to

fabricate pieces of a story, neglect to explain how events truly unfolded, and

then boldly claim she (and her insurance company) were taken advantage of. She

just finished testing for both her son and herself but never came to CARE

Clinics for the treatment.

At CARE Clinics

we are careful to explain our protocol and procedures from the beginning. As

part of this, we go over the probable expenses for a particular treatment

regime, and how they could end up being different based on actual patient

evaluation and testing results. We explicitly state that the only time we

can truly know the scope of treatment required for an individual patient is

after these tests are completed. Regardless, all charges related to any of our

patients fall in the range dictated by MAG Mutual Physician’s Fee and

Coding guide 2008. This is a study of fees charged by physicians, HMOs,

insurance company fee guides, EOBs, and hospitals throughout the United States.

This is put together by industry insiders who have worked at all the

major insurance companies.

There were several

elements of Ms. Inoue’s story that were false. First, the bill for

services was 1/3 of what she claimed. Also the testing was for both her son and

herself. We do over 45 tests as an initial screening for new patients including

infection panels, virus bacteria, yeast, fungal, amino acids, minerals, immune

functions, biochemistry, heavy metals, genomic testing, oxidative stress, more

and more. Incidentally, the line items on this bill included expensive genomic

testing that by itself, if done in a hospital, would have cost more than the

total of what she accused us of billing her insurance agency in the first

place! Second, there were no charges for procedures that were not performed.

Our children could have many and serious biomedical issues so without holistic

approach, recovery could be limited. Autism is a serious disease just like

other difficult ones.

Now for part of the

sad, but true, untold story. Not only did we bill much less than the writer

claimed, we never charged her any co-pays, we waived the fee for her initial

consultation (which she then requested to do a second time since she had

forgotten what was initially discussed), and in the end, the writer refused to

proceed with the recommended treatment for her child! Does that really sound

like we took advantage of her? If one takes the time and effort to listen to

doctors and other care givers who just want to help your loved one and then

turns around and vilifies the same people for no reason in a public forum, then

that really is an act of “desperation.” And, unfortunately, one

that doesn’t benefit the loved one in any way.

A final word: if a

parent feels the need to vent their personal frustrations with having a child

affected by autism, I would think they should instead use those energies to

focus on helping their child recover rather than finding ways to lash out at

professional organizations, like ours, that are dedicated to helping children

just like theirs. CARE Clinics bills insurance companies properly which many

clinics choose not to do. At CARE Clinics we believe that autistic children

have the right to their treatments and recovery process, and insurance

companies should accept autism treatments as they do with any other biomedical

disease.

Kazuko Grace Curtin

Founder and CEO of CARE Clinics

Kazuko Grace Curtin

The Founder and CEO

Austin Clinic

4201 Bee Caves Rd, B200, Austin, TX 78746

office

Direct fax line

Tampa Clinic

12690 Telecom Drive, Tampa, FL 33637

office

fax

kazuko@...

www.mycareclinics.com

E-MAIL