In recent years, the average age of autistic children entering the school system has shifted to much younger children. Under federal law, public schools must provide appropriate education for all children with disabilities, starting at age 3, and many autistic children remain in the system until age 21.
For very young children, the recommendation for early interven tion has created an increased demand for more intensive behavioral therapy and educational services in general. However, the federal government only partially reimburses the states for the cost of educating autistic children, even though early intervention means that the services required for each child must now be provided for a much longer period of time.
And on the other hand, as more autistic children reach late adolescence, the need for out-of-home residential ser vices is beginning to have a heavy impact on state budgets.
There is also an increase in public health care costs associated with the growing number of autistic children. For instance, according to state government records, South Carolina has an estimated 2000 children under the age of 18 with autism, and the great majority of these children are eligible for at least some services covered by Medicaid.
During the fiscal year 2005, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, South Carolina paid out more than $20 million for autism care, in large part, because most insurance companies do not cover the high cost of the specific therapies that have been found to be the most successful in treating children with autism.
A group of South Carolina lawmakers are trying to pass a bill that would require private insurers to cover services for all autism patients regardless of age. Industry lobbyist, Larry Marchant says that if passed, the bill would cause the health insurance premiums that individuals or families pay to increase 25%, and would average out to an extra $200 a month for those enrolled in family plans, according to State.com on March 26, 2006.
In addition, the financial burden that a disorder like autism takes on families is absolutely devastating. Upon becoming autistic after receiving vaccines at 16 months, Laura Bono says her son, "Jackson's medical and therapy needs began taking every bit of money we had saved or ever would have saved."
"The total we have paid for Jackson's medical, nutritional and private therapy expenses so far," Laura says, "is roughly $685,000 since August 1990."
That amount averages out to well over $50,000 a year.
There is no escaping the fact that the epidemic is having a profound impact on society; not only on autistic children and their families, but on our public health care programs and school systems as well. And, until vaccine-makers are held accountable, taxpayers will continue to carry the full burden.
Evelyn Pringle
evelyn.pringle@sbcglobal.net
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