By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Proposed federal legislation designed to improve the quality of life for people with autism would raise the premium costs on insurance plans to cover the disorder, not just insurance companies like the bill that failed in the state Legislature this year, supporters said Monday.
“This is a fabulous bill,” said Diana Varady, president of the Arkansas Autistic Children’s Support Group and a member of the legislative task force created in 2007 to look at how the state deals with people with autism.
“The federal proposal is a little more comprehensive,” Varady said, adding that if it does not appear to have widespread congressional support her group likely will ask the Legislature next year to reconsider the legislation that passed the Senate but failed in the House.
The Autism Treatment Acceleration Act of 2009, filed last week by U.S. Reps Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and Chris Smith, R-N.J., is a companion bill of the same name introduced in the Senate in April.
“This is much more extensive and would treat more people,” said state Sen. Mary Ann Salmon, D-North Little Rock, sponsor of the failed state legislation that would have raised insurance premiums by an average of $1.48 per month and require insurance companies to offer coverage for children ages 10 and under.
Varady said the federal proposal would also raise insurance rates less than 1 percent, but she did not know exactly how much.
If the federal legislation succeeds, it “would be like a holiday for parents of autistic children and would give them hope,” Salmon said.
Along with requiring health insurers to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism disorders, including Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, assistive communication devices and other treatment, the bill also would establish a national training initiative on autism, as well as an assistance center to develop and expand training and continuing education for adults with autism.
Salmon said she also plans to urge the state’s congressional delegation to support the federal legislation.
Varady said the federal proposal “would impact all policies, like Wal-Mart, Tyson and UAMS, that never would have been impacted at all by the state proposal.”
“All self-funded insurance plans which would be impacted by the federal legislation,” she said. “Any health insurance would be affected by the federal insurance.”
U.S. Sens. David Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, both D-Ark., along with U.S. Reps. John Boozman, R-Rogers, and Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, each said in statements Monday that they support initiatives that help families of those with autism and that they would consider the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act.
“Approximately 1.5 million American families are affected by autism spectrum disorders,” Lincoln said. “For the well-being of these families, I believe the federal government must continue to make investments in autism research and provide funding for services to ensure school children receive the care they need.”
