VICTORY FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN IN MICHIGAN
June 30, 2009
Sandy G.
Blue Cross ordered to pay for proven therapy
By Jon Hood, ConsumerAffairs.com
Blue Cross has settled a lawsuit brought by parents of children with autism, reimbursing them for the costs of therapy they had to pay out of their own pockets.
The suit, filed in Detroit, alleged that Blue Cross refused to pay for Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy for autistic children on the grounds that it was “experimental.”
Blue Cross policies exclude experimental therapies for a variety of conditions. The plaintiffs in the current suit, Johns v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, argued that characterizing ABA as experimental was arbitrary, capricious, and possibly even illegal.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM Tags: AUTISTIC CHILDREN, MICHIGAN, BLUE CROSS ORDERED TO PAY FOR APPLIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS (ABA) THERAPY, JON HOOD, CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM, EXPERIMENTAL THERAPIES, JOHNS VS. BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN, JOHN CONWAY, GERARD MANTESE, HELPS AUTISTIC CHILDREN DEVELOP DEFICIENT VERBAL AND SOCIAL SKILLS, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT, PSYCHOLOGISTS, CLASSICAL CONDITIONING, IVAN PAVLOV, CONDITIONED REFLEXES, ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE IN AUTISM TREATMENT, DR. CALMAZE DUDLEY, DEVELOPMENTAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS, MEDICAL INSURANCE PLANS, AUTISM-SPECTRUM DISORDERS, ASPERGER SYNDROME, RETT SYNDROME, HOUSE BILL (HB) 4776, HOUSE BILL (HB) 4183
Entry Filed under: NEWS
4 Comments
1.
KJ | July 13, 2009 at 6:14 PM
We adopted three boys with various forms of autism and appreciate those who would blog on such an important subject. People more than ever need to be informed about autism and what life is like for those so affected since this debilitating condition seems to be on the rise.
2.
Sandy G. | July 13, 2009 at 10:50 PM
Hi KJ. Thank you for commenting and bless you for what you are doing for those three boys. It sounds like they are very fortunate to have you.
3.
Eric Jager | July 26, 2009 at 1:50 PM
The article says that “the therapy is used to help autistic children develop the deficient verbal and social skills that are hallmarks of the disease.”
Many people don’t realize that autistic children often have tremendous difficulty with self-help skills including including toilet training, teeth brushing and dressing themselves. ABA is very effective in addressing these issues as well, among many others.
4.
Sandy G. | July 26, 2009 at 2:38 PM
That’s a very good point Eric. Thank you.