Article from San Express News: Autism bill could save parents lots of money

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Autism bill could save parents lots of money

Web Posted: 06/03/2007 12:48 AM CDT

Scharrer

Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — Parents of children with autism cheered when Texas lawmakers

revived a dead bill they say will give families hope, save some from

bankruptcy and reduce long-term costs for taxpayers.

But the Texas Association of Business wants Gov. Rick to veto House

Bill 1919 because of an amendment that changes the definition of autism from

a mental illness to a neurobiological illness — and requires insurance

companies to cover treatment for 3- to 5-year-olds with the disease.

The autism insurance measure passed the Senate but languished in the House

until just hours before the legislative session ended on Memorial Day, when

lawmakers approved it as an amendment to insurance-related legislation.

" Somebody finally heard us, " an emotional Singleton of Houston said

after legislators approved the amendment. " Parents have been struggling for

years to be heard, and, I think, somebody finally cared enough to help make

it happen. "

Singleton said she and her husband have spent more than $100,000 on

treatment for their 8-year-old son with autism. They financed the treatment

by selling a four-bedroom home in Houston and renting a three-bedroom

apartment for more than two years.

Most families can't afford the expensive, intensive intervention that offers

some level of success if the treatment starts early.

" What we know about brain development is that when children are very young,

their brains are very plastic. You can shape and change how the brain

functions, " said Theresa , president of the Autism Society of Greater

San . " At its heart, autism is the brain processes information

completely differently from a typically developing brain. "

has a 5-year-old son with autism.

Intensive and early intervention helps the brain to rewire itself to the

point that " children will still have autism, but they most likely will be

able to be much more functional, " she said. But the costs are staggering

without insurance coverage.

" We have families all over town who are declaring bankruptcy left, right and

center because they are just trying to figure out how to get their children

to function, " said.

The Texas Association of Business, which routinely tries to fend off any

governmental mandate on business, has asked to veto the measure.

" It's not about autism. It's not about brain injuries. It's not about

cervical cancer, " said the association's Shelton Green. " We want to avoid

placing mandates on employers, on their health benefit policies. "

Such requirements increase costs for employers already struggling with

annual insurance premium increases, he said.

" We want the free market to work, " Green said. " We want to leave the

discretion up to the employers and let them decide what health plans (to

provide) and not the state. "

Citing a February report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

that one of every 150 children has some level of autism, and others

said taxpayers face a staggering future cost if those children do not

receive treatment.

If insurance coverage for autism treatment is " such a good idea and such a

cost savings, then employers should do it today without a state mandate, "

said Green, adding he had " nothing against those with autism or children and

families dealing with autism. It's a tragic situation. "

spokesman Black said the governor has not decided whether to

veto the bill.

The number of Texas children with autism has nearly doubled in four years,

reaching 17,282 in the 2005-06 school year, according to the Texas Education

Agency. But experts contend the count is vastly understated and does not

include large numbers of children with autism who are home-schooled.

Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, has been trying to pass the autism

insurance bill for six years.

" Not only will this legislation save the state billions of dollars in the

next decade alone, but it will bring renewed hope to many of these children

and their parents, " Lucio said. " We can honestly say we are giving children

an opportunity for a more independent life. "

Adults with autism who did not get treatment as children often need

extensive care that can cost $100,000 per year per individual, said.

She and others wanted the coverage to extend to younger and older children

but settled for 3-to-5 age range as a compromise.

In Bexar County, the average age of a child when diagnosed with autism is 7,

said.

The warning signs for children with autism show up between 10 and 18 months

" and the diagnosis should begin so that the intervention can begin, "

said.

If the bill becomes law, insurance coverage would help families pay for

applied behavioral analysis, a tested approach for treating autism, and such

services as behavior management, speech therapy, physical therapy and

occupational therapy, said Singleton, the Houston mother.

She has been fighting for insurance coverage for about seven years and

helped inspire other parents to contact lawmakers last month.

" People should not have to choose between getting treatment for their kids

or having to sell their house, " Singleton said. " There is no cure. Recovery

is what they talk about. "

Children with early treatment show average IQ, can do grade-level work and

function independently in a general education classroom without support,

Singleton said.

" We came very, very close to that, " she said of her son's progress. " We had

to stop doing some of the applied behavior analysis because we just ran out

of money. "

________________________________________

gscharrer@...

By the numbers

1 million: The number of children, up to 18, that the Texas Department of

Insurance estimates are privately insured.

1,111: Assuming a 1 in 150 prevalence of autism and that this bill covers

three years of a child's life, it is estimated this many children will be

covered in any given year. However, some of these children will not require

extensive treatment.

$208,500: Dollars the state could save per child across 18 years of general

revenue-funded educational services if the child undergoes early intensive

behavior intervention, according to results from a University of Houston

study.

$771.5 million: Amount the state will save in special education costs alone,

within the first 10 years of the bill's passage.

$2 million: Average lifetime savings for a child with autism who receives

early intervention, according to national projections.

Source: Office of state Sen. Eddie Lucio

Hey, Jude, don't make it bad….Take a sad song and make it better

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a cure. Donations for Team Jack Attack's Walk Now for Autism Team can be

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