Autism Center must be saved

Quinn: Autism center must be saved By Adam Testa, The Southern
Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:55 PM CDT

CARBONDALE - Gov. Pat Quinn made his message clear within two minutes of walking into Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Wham Education Building, home of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

"We've got to save the program here," he said, shaking hands with center Director Tony Cuvo before a news conference. "We've got work to do."

The autism center was one of many stops Quinn has made recently on a statewide tour of social service entities, a tour many of his opponents have called fear-mongering.

Quinn, who is promoting citizen engagement in encouraging legislators to approve a state budget including a two-year, 50-percent income tax hike, decried those allegations, calling the tour "truth telling."

A state budget remains in gridlock in Springfield with a new fiscal year slated to begin July 1. A "doomsday" budget projects cuts of up to 50 percent to many of the state's social services, which Quinn said should not even be an option on the table.

"We have to have programs that help families stick together, stay together and move ahead," he said to a crowd of more than 100.

Cuvo addressed the crowd about the importance of the autism center and the role it plays in Southern Illinois. Through state funding, the center has assessed more than 460 children from the region, provided therapy to more than 120 of them, helped many autistic children transition into regular classrooms and affected the lives of families from about 115 communities across more than 30 counties, he said.

"They will have to go out of the region, including out of the state, to get diagnosed," Cuvo said of the effect the closure of the center, which would happen under the state's worst-case scenario budget. "It will be a very sad day for children with autism and their families throughout Illinois."

Quinn said he would not approve a budget that does not include an income tax increase and that cuts funding for essential social services. He also bashed a rumored possibility of operating the state budget on a month-by-month basis for six months, referring to it as the "juvenile way to go" and comparing it to the actions of his predecessor, ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

"We are going to fight until our last day, until our last breath to save this program," Quinn said. "I don't want to cut the heart and soul of Illinois."

adam.testa@thesouthern.com, 618-351-5031

We are working hard to save ours in KL too..

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Autism insurance bill passed by New Jersey Assembly

Autism insurance bill passed by New Jersey Assembly 

Posted by cstetler May 21, 2009 16:05PM

Autism therapy should be covered by insurance companies, the New Jersey Assembly voted today.

The New Jersey Assembly today approved a bill that will require insurance companies to cover the cost of therapy for autism, which affects 1 in 94 children in New Jersey, making it the state with the nation's highest rate of autism.

The proposal requires health insurance companies to cover the cost of autism treatment deemed medically necessary, including speech and occupational therapy, with an annual cap of $36,000. It also mandates coverage for behavioral therapy, which includes exersizes like helping an autistic child learn to make a sandwich.

If the measure is approved by the State Budget Committee, New Jersey will become the tenth state to enact such a law.

***** In Malaysia *****

If you have difficulty cover your child within Malaysia, do speak to me and we see how we can get it done legally. Email : Shiokx@gmail.com or Call +60122082818


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Autism's lonely questions

Autism's lonely questionsby The Oregonian Editorial Board
Friday May 15, 2009, 12:33 AM

Without better research, Oregon families will keep exhausting themselves looking for answers

If any medical condition warrants more attention and research, it is autism. The uncertainty surrounding this common brain disorder takes a terrible toll on families -- especially in Oregon, where diagnosed autism rates are higher than the national average.

It is a condition characterized by questions rather than answers: Who will help us? Will I ever connect again with my child? How much hope should we have? Do any treatments work, and what if we can't afford any of them?

No family should have to face these questions alone.

About 1 in 150 children in the United States has an autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate in Oregon is considerably higher. Some estimates based on school data peg the number as high as 1 in 87.

Behind the numbers are a thousand stories of parents struggling to cope. They are told the disorder is incurable, but lately they've been peppered with stories of miracle cures. They read about various promising behavioral treatments, which tend not to be covered by health insurance or offered through the local public school.

They are told autism is biological. Or maybe environmental.

On top of all that come the dirty looks at the grocery store.

Perhaps this helps explain why disagreements within the autism community can be so fierce and personal. The stakes are so high, the parenting can be so lonely, and the research is still so thin.

Portland State University is hosting a statewide conference this weekend about educating children with autism. The keynote speaker, Dr. Laura Schreibman, is a longtime advocate of basing autism treatments on good science and not on anecdotes and testimonials. She's a controversial figure herself, at least among people who think she dismisses promising new treatments.

But Schreibman brings up the right point: The need for better autism research is painfully clear.

The federal government is preparing to invest $1.1 billion in "comparative effectiveness research," which will evaluate and rank various therapies for different health problems. The Obama administration also intends to boost funding for medical research in general.

It's not clear whether autism will be treated as a priority area, but it should be. Without better methods to diagnose and treat autism, and without a better understanding of what causes the disorder, families will continue to bankrupt themselves looking for homegrown cures. These families need more guidance. So do the health insurers and school districts that are supposed to act as partners.

We don't know the answers.

We're still learning the right questions to ask.

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Early autism intervention makes dollars and sense

Early autism intervention makes dollars and sense
By William Frea with Daily Breeze

Posted: 05/02/2009 07:13:13 PM PDT

With one in 150 children today diagnosed with autism, the debate rages on over what is the best treatment for this condition, and - just as importantly - who will pay for it.

In the wake of Autism Awareness Month in April, we have an opportunity to take a realistic and probing look at the most effective means for treating this developmental condition, and where resources should be placed for this treatment.

Today, beleaguered states with budget deficits, such as California, are evaluating all service programs to find ways to cut costs. States need to take a close look at what approaches deliver the best outcomes and the best return on investment. The question is not how much do autism services cost, but how much is saved by treating autism early and effectively, and how much is lost if this early intervention does not occur.

The Autism Society of America has calculated that autism costs the United States more than $90billion each year. There's no question that treatment for autism is expensive. However, there is a significant difference between autism and other severe developmental disabilities. With autism, it's been shown that with targeted early intervention using scientifically validated methods, many children can gain the skills they need to move into a mainstream classroom.

With evidence-based early interventions such as Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, the most widely accepted method for treating autism, as many as half of these children would no longer be on the autism spectrum, and most would go on to successful futures as independent adults.

The costs of caring for a person with autism over his or her lifetime is estimated to be at least $3.2 million, according to a study from Professor Michael Ganz at the Harvard School of Public Health. Others have pegged the cost even higher, up to $4.7 million. With ABA therapy averaging $40,000 to $70,000 a year, and most children requiring only several years of therapy starting around age 2, early intervention with this approach clearly delivers an enormous return on investment by avoiding the multi-millions required for lifetime treatment, residential housing and care.

Not included in this cost-benefit estimate is the value that a functioning adult can contribute back to society, or the joy of parents and families who recover the child they thought lost behind the veil of autism. This human benefit is truly priceless.

Unfortunately, California recently opted not to require insurance providers to cover behavioral interventions such as ABA, even though this treatment has been the gold standard for treating autism for more than 30 years. Insurance companies have taken the position that it is education-based rather than a medical treatment.

Other states disagree. Nevada is close to passing legislation requiring insurance companies to fund ABA therapies. Nevada Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury made a compelling argument citing research that demonstrated 47 percent of children with autism were able to lead independent lives after receiving at least 30 hours per week of intensive ABA early intervention. Nevada would join Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas as states that require insurance providers to cover intensive autism treatments.

We all hope researchers will soon discover the cause of the autism epidemic and how to prevent it. In the meantime, we need to deal with both today's reality and tomorrow's prognosis, as these children move on through middle school, high school and transition to adulthood and careers. The best investment that we can make today is early intervention with scientifically validated ABA therapy.

As policy makers in California struggle with tough financial choices and argue over how much support to give to autism treatments, we urge them to consider not only the dollars and cents of autism, but the dollars and sense. Funding based on the outcomes of evidence-based therapies is the prudent decision for both the short-term and the long-term interests of children with autism, their families and our society as a whole.

Dr. William Frea is chief clinical officer and co-founder of Autism Spectrum Therapies, an agency providing autism services throughout Southern California. He has served on the California State Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism.

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Insurance Income Plan

The company is going to withdraw the plan from the marketing, and we have only a few days to sign up! This plan is call Income Plus Plan!

We are going to talk about One (1) lot of investment as example based on kid age betweem 1-7 years old.




Yearly Investment = RM9K, for a total of 12 years
  
The 12th Year onward,
Guarantee Return = RM3K per year until the death of the insured.
Non Guarantee Return range from RM2K-RM5K per year. This come with Life Insurance Sum insured at RM50K + Extra RM25K

For More information, Kindly contact me ASAP. Basically we want to use the return after 12th year as constant income for out kid for life. Act Now! Call Yong +60122082818 or email here

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Insurance Cover for Special Children

We all know it is hard if not impossible to insure our special love one. How can we ensure that they can live a quality life with dignity when we are gone?

We have various option like investment with fixed return which help to take care of their financial need. There are options using insurance as a tool as well! I am tasked to make sure that all special need child is covered and their life long financial requirements are fulfill.

I have done the same for both my sons who are suffering from autism! You can do the same too. Call me at the following: -

My Name : Mr Yong Yek Ming (A father of 2 lovely boys suffering from autism)
My Phone : +60122082818
My Email : myautismresource@gmail.com

Regrads
Yong Yek Ming




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Autism insurance help supported

Autism insurance help supported
BY JULIE BISBEE
Published: April 15, 2009

Children with autism would have access to insurance under a bill the Senate passed Tuesday.

House Bill 2027 would create a state license for certified behavioral analysts and increase training for therapists who would evaluate and diagnosis autism spectrum disorders. An amendment by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, would provide insurance coverage to children under the Oklahoma Health Insurance High Risk Pool.

The pool was created by the Legislature in 1995 to provide insurance to residents unable to get individual coverage. Participants still pay premiums.

"The Senate poured the foundation and created a comprehensive bill that offers a glimmer of hope for families struggling to care for their children with autism,” Gumm said.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, passed the Senate 48-0 and is now headed to a conference committee, where more changes could be made.

Justice said the bill could help build a network of treatment providers for children with autism.

"This is the right program to continue to build on,” Justice said.

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