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Autism Speaks Lauds Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Introduction Of Senate Bill Expanding Military Insurance Coverage Of Autism Therapies

NEW YORK, NY (June 2, 2009) -- Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, today applauded Senator Kristen Gillibrand’s (D-NY) introduction of the Uniformed Services with Autism (USA) Heroes Act, a senate companion bill to H.R. 1600. The legislation would require expanded coverage by TRICARE -- the Department of Defense's health care program for members of the uniformed services and their families -- of medically necessary autism therapies for military dependents who have autism.

Current law limits TRICARE coverage of autism therapies, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, for dependents of active duty service members and places a $3,000 monthly cap on a child’s treatment program. The USA Heroes Act will remove the dollar cap and increase accessibility of ABA and other essential, medically necessary autism treatments by extending benefits to retirees.

H.R. 1600 was introduced by Representatives Joe Sestak (D-PA), Walter B. Jones (R-NC), and Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX).

“We commend Senator Gillibrand for her commitment to individuals with autism and their families, and for making expanded autism insurance coverage a legislative priority,” said Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. “Families across the country are literally going broke trying to provide their children with the therapies they need and deserve. Now is the time for private and public insurers alike to end discrimination against children with autism and cover these critical services.”

“This legislation is an important complement to successful, ongoing state and federal efforts to ensure that every American child with autism has access to medically-necessary, evidence-based therapies,” said Elizabeth Emken, Autism Speaks vice president of government relations.

The USA Heroes Act is part of a three-part plan Senator Gillibrand announced this week that also includes her co-sponsorship of the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act, which would require private insurers to provide coverage of medically-necessary autism treatments. In many states, insurers explicitly exclude such coverage from their policies. The Senator also called for increased federal investment in autism research by allocating a portion of the additional $10 billion given to the National Institute of Health (NIH) under the President Obama’s Economic Recovery plan.

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Comments:

Anonymous @ 7/3/2010 3:23:01 PM

Extending the RICH health and medical benefits to retirees and reservist needs to happen. Anyone who has served their country and made that kind of sacrifice that words cannot describe, deserve the medical benefits of active duty members.

My husband is currently an officer in US Navy. We are thankful EVERYDAY for the health/medical benefits TRICARE and ECHO provide. I am not aware of any other employer or State that provides better coverage for children with autism. I don't know why, but no where is it mentioned that TRICARE provides UNLIMITED - that's right UNLIMITED speech and occupational therapy. That's a standard with TRICARE benefits. This is in addition to the $3,000 per month provided through the ECHO program. Furthermore, any child with an official diagnosis of autism has to be enrolled in the Exceptional Familiy Member Program (EFMP) in order to recieve medical benefits thru ECHO ($3,000 per month for ABA). Enrollment in EFMP also gives that family priority over

Anonymous @ 5/28/2010 12:22:11 PM

"If I am reading this correctly, this bill would exclude all guard and reserve who utilize reserve tricare select; what about us?"
This is what I want to know...why not the guard, guard are deployed JUST AS MUCH as active duty!!! We have tricare reserve select, but can't get the autism services our daughter needs, unless my husband is given orders and sent overseas. They sure don't stop giving these services to active duty members once they return to the states, do they!?!

Anonymous @ 4/14/2010 8:10:13 PM

If I am reading this correctly, this bill would exclude all guard and reserve who utilize reserve tricare select; what about us? I was under the impression that once the echo program is dismantled that all tricare beneficiaries would be eligible? Can someone explain this? I am in the guard and every 6 months I have to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan to get my 2 autisic boys 6 months of ABA services through the ECHO program. Anyone with children like this all know that continutiy of care and livelyhood is vital; my poor kids barely see me. My husband had to take a contract job in Iraq to help our family pay for medical bills and necessities. So not only do my kids not see me, they don't get to see their dad either; what a bumm deal for a 17.5 years of military service.

Anonymous @ 8/11/2009 12:15:25 PM

My son is currently being assessed for autism. The bad part is that if my son is diagnosed, the ability to provide the beneficial therapies will not be provided because my husband is retired from the Air Force. I am praying that the extension of benefits to the retiree community is part of the bill and that the bill is passed and enacted.

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