Board index › General Discussion › Autism Politics, Activism, and Media Representation

Insurance discrimination

Page 1 of 1 [ 4 posts ] 

Previous topic | Next topic

Tahitiii
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jul 2008
Age: 68
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,214
Location: USA

01 Aug 2009, 2:24 am

Autism Speaks has a petition on FaceBook:
Health Care “Reform” That Fails to Stop Autism Insurance Discrimination is Unacceptable
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitio ... m=0d6dec7c

My sister-in-law sent this link. It was a sincere and friendly gesture.

But I don't trust anything they say. Is this petition good or bad?

In a forest of oaks, can a blind pig find an acorn?
Can a broken clock be right twice a day?



PilotPirx
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

User avatar

Joined: 8 May 2008
Age: 54
Gender: Male
Posts: 237
Location: Amsterdam, NL

01 Aug 2009, 7:55 am

The information given on this page is a bit thin.
I googled the term "Autism insurance reform" and as it seems, several states of the US have signed something similar, and the idea always was, that insurance companies would have to pay something around up to $36,000 a year for treatments and therapies.

like here (new Mexico):
http://centerforautism.blogspot.com/200 ... ed-in.html
or here (Louisiana):
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/gover ... ce_law.php


_________________
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before (E.A.Poe)


cyberscan
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,296
Location: Near Panama, City Florida

01 Aug 2009, 8:09 am

Florida mandates coverage of autism related treatments in many cases. The response from the insurance companies is to refuse to insure autistic people. Big companies will almost always find a way around living up to their obligations.


_________________
I am AUTISTIC - Always Unique, Totally Interesting, Straight Talking, Intelligently Conversational.
I am also the author of "Tech Tactics Money Saving Secrets" and "Tech Tactics Publishing and Production Secrets."


ChangelingGirl
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,640
Location: Netherlands

01 Aug 2009, 8:56 am

cyberscan wrote:
Florida mandates coverage of autism related treatments in many cases. The response from the insurance companies is to refuse to insure autistic people. Big companies will almost always find a way around living up to their obligations.


I would consider that even more discriminatory than not covering autism treatments. I mean, not eveyr autistic is going to need or want expensive, intensive therapies, so it's unfair to refuse to insure all autistics because they might just claim huge amounts for therapy.

In the Netherlands, by the way, insurers cannot reject anyone for the so-called "basic package", which includes healthcare deemed necessary by the govt (including mental health services if you got a referral. They can reject peopel for additional insurance (eg. physical therapy, dnetal care for adults, soem forms of family planning, etc.), which are not thought to be necessary...of course it's a matter of perspective what is and isn't considered necessary. Long-terms upport is however covered under a different, public healthcare fund.

Anyway, I would rather have a petition against discrimination of autistics for insurance, than forcing insurance comps to pay for intensive ABA or the like and then having them discriminate all autistics.