LANSING – Scoring a major victory for children with autism and families across the state, the Michigan House of Representatives today passed a bill introduced by House Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee) that requires health insurance companies to cover treatments for autism.
"This is a great day for the nearly 14,000 children with autism in Michigan and their families," Angerer said. "This action is long overdue. With the number of families coping with autism in Michigan increasing, we need to ensure that everyone has access to the effective treatments that are crucial to helping children with autism reach their full potential. I applaud my colleagues in the House who helped send a strong message to our health insurance companies that they need to stop denying coverage to children with autism."
The national nonprofit group Autism Speaks estimates that one in every 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer and diabetes combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. According to the Michigan Department of Education, an estimated 13,839 children in Michigan had some form of autism in 2008.
Unfortunately, most health insurance companies cover only autism screenings, leaving families to pay $50,000 or more each year for treatment. If untreated, it can cost approximately $3.4 million to provide care for an individual with autism over his or her lifetime. On average, treatment will cut that cost by more than half. The Center for Affordable Health Insurance estimated in March that including coverage for autism treatment in health insurance plans would raise premiums by less than 1 percent.
"Requiring insurance companies to cover treatments for autism makes sense, and it's the right thing to do," Angerer said. "We scored a major victory today for Michigan families, but our fight is far from over – we must now call on the Senate to act. Our children are suffering because of the unjust policies of health care companies, and I urge the Senate to act now and put an end to this discriminatory practice."