LANSING – State Representative Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee) today unveiled her plan to support the growing number of families struggling to cope with the costs of autism treatment. The plan, which has received bipartisan support, would require health insurance companies to end their arbitrary exclusion of treatment for autism. In addition, Angerer on Tuesday introduced legislation to create an income tax checkoff option that provides Michigan residents with a convenient way to voluntarily contribute to a fund that promotes autism research.
"More and more children across our state are being diagnosed with autism, leaving an increasing number of Michigan families struggling to keep up with the high costs of treatment," said Angerer, who is Chair of the House Health Policy Committee. "Proper screening and treatment of autism is crucial to a child's development, and experts agree that early diagnosis and treatment is vital to increasing the chances that a child will reach their full potential. Excluding autism from coverage is not only arbitrary and unfair – it sets back efforts to understand and treat this disorder, which threatens to increase health care costs for everyone down the road."
Currently, most health insurance companies only cover screening for the disorder, leaving families with autistic children to bear the high costs of treatment on their own. Treating autism can cost a single family $50,000 or more annually.
"Ensuring equal coverage for all of our working families when it comes to autism is the right thing to do for our residents," Angerer said. "My plan will ensure that families raising autistic children receive quality care that will help their children grow and develop. By requiring health insurance parity for those living with autism, my plan will make Michigan a leader in the effort to understand and treat this disorder."
A separate bill introduced Tuesday establishes a new income tax checkoff option that provides Michigan residents with a convenient way to voluntarily contribute to a fund that promotes researching the causes and treatment of autism.
Checkoff boxes, which allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their tax return, are commonly used on income tax forms. Michigan currently has income tax checkoffs for the Children's Trust Fund, the Children of Veterans Tuition Grant Program and the Military Family Relief Fund. In 2004, 4.4 million taxpayers filed income tax Form 1040, according to the state Department of Treasury.
"As autism awareness increases, this income tax checkoff option will provide Michigan residents who want to help advance the medical field's understanding of autism with a convenient way to make a donation," Angerer said. "We all lead busy lives, and residents who support this cause may not have the time to look into how they can promote autism research. This checkoff box offers an easy way to contribute to the community."
Autism, which refers to the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as autism spectrum disorders, is characterized by difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction and repetitive behaviors. The impact ranges from mild to disabling. Between 2001 and 2006, the number of children in our state's public schools diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, such as Asperger Syndrome, increased by more than 100 percent, according to the Autism Society of Michigan. Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
This plan is part of Angerer's on-going effort to support autism awareness. Earlier in the year, she organized an autism roundtable to bring together school officials, autism advocacy group leaders and families with autistic children.