Thursday, September 16, 2010
Insurers Consider Premiums For Autism
WEST VIRGINIA....
West Virginia is one of several states that don’t require insurers to pick up the bills for providing therapy services to children with autism, leaving the cost for families as much as $50,000 per year. This year, state lawmakers have held a series of public hearings to determine if that should change. Lawmakers have learned West Virginia has a higher prevalence of autism than much of the rest of the country, with one out of every 60 children showing signs of some degree. Executives with the state’s largest insurers remain reluctant to provide coverage, pointing to a lack of good studies showing an effective treatment for autism as well as believing it to be a developmental problem best addressed through the education system. They told lawmakers they will provide that coverage if they’re required to, but it would have to increase premiums for all policyholders.
West Virginia is one of several states that don’t require insurers to pick up the bills for providing therapy services to children with autism, leaving the cost for families as much as $50,000 per year. This year, state lawmakers have held a series of public hearings to determine if that should change. Lawmakers have learned West Virginia has a higher prevalence of autism than much of the rest of the country, with one out of every 60 children showing signs of some degree. Executives with the state’s largest insurers remain reluctant to provide coverage, pointing to a lack of good studies showing an effective treatment for autism as well as believing it to be a developmental problem best addressed through the education system. They told lawmakers they will provide that coverage if they’re required to, but it would have to increase premiums for all policyholders.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:08 AM 
