**Update 3/8/10 - Update: Another summing up of developments in North Carolina
Battle of Words & Numbers: Autism InsurancePosted on March 6, 2010 by momof3au
Autism Society of North Carolina Blog**
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The North Carolina Joint Study Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety is currently deliberating feasibility of drafting insurance reform legislation to be submitted within the legislative session commencing May 12, 2010. This legislation would propose to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism, including applied behavior analysis.
At the most recent meeting on March 4, 2010 an actuarial cost estimate by the firm of Oliver Wyman was presented to the Committee by Marc Lambright, FSA, MAAA. Other presentations were made by Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, and the State Health Plan. The arguments of Blue Cross/Blue Shield turned on the nature of applied behavior analysis, which they argue are educational, not medical, and on their cost estimates which they believe are in the range of $2.37-$11.00/month/policy. The analysis by Oliver Wyman disagrees with those estimates, saying that real costs for states which have passed this type of coverage are more in the range of 0.4%/policy/month or $1/month.
Previous testimony on given to the Committee on February 3, 2010 was an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder by Dr. Rob Christian, Clinical Assistant Profession of Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities; a parent perspective by Bev Moore, Secretary of the Autism Society of North Carolina Board of Directors; insurance initiatives in other states and the cost-benefit of removing exclusion of coverage for autism treatment by Lorri Unumb, Senior Policy Advisor for Autism Speaks; and the experience as both a parent and a medical professional on the hardship of insurance loss upon autism diagnosis by Dr. David Kaylie, FACS, of the Duke University Medical Center.
For more information
Joint Study Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety (2009)
(Register for Meeting notices via email)
March 1, 2010
Actuarial Cost Estimate: North Carolina Draft Bill 2009-SQ-25 [v.1]:AN ACT TO REQUIRE HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS, INCLUDING THE STATE HEALTH PLAN FOR TEACHERS AND STATE EMPLOYEES, TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS.
Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting, Inc.
Prepared By:
Marc Lambright, FSA, MAAA
Found at Autism Votes North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions About the State Autism Insurance Reform Laws
Autism Votes
Autism insurance is debated
March 5, 2010
BY SARAH AVERY - Staff Writer
Autism Insurance Coverage Update
Posted on March 1, 2010 by dlaxton
Autism society of North Carolina Blog
Autism Insurance in North Carolina – first steps
Posted on February 3, 2010 by dlaxton
Autism society of North Carolina Blog
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
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