House Bill 1588...

(letter I sent to Randy Forbes- Chesapeake, VA Congressman: via Nicole Aponte)

(PLEASE take the time to help us parents who have children w/ Autism and forward this letter with your own adjustments to your local Congressman, Thanks!)

At the upcoming meeting on November 19, the Virginia Mandated Benefits Commission will announce its recommendation regarding House Bill 1588, the autism insurance reform bill. I am writing to ask that you support this bill as a member of the Commission and that you add your voice to a recommendation that the Virginia legislature move towards passage of this bill as well.
HB 1588 will require private insurance companies to provide coverage of medically necessary, evidence-based autism treatments and therapies, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy.
Right now, 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with autism according to the CDC. This is a staggering number. This means that thousands of families in Virginia are affected and that thousands of families are paying out-of-pocket for the treatments that their child needs, even though they have private health insurance.
I am asking that you help stop insurance companies from blatantly discriminating against children with an autism diagnosis by supporting HB 1588 on November 19. Autism is treatable. Insurance should cover treatment. Virginia families need help now!

I am the mother of a son with Autism. The majority of the therapies & treatments that are currently assisting these children to obtain a better quality of life are not affordable for American families. Even families with health insurance are often left in the dark and with few options because the insurances refuse to pay for the therapies claiming they are only experimental or useful for some and not all. This could be said of many things-including psychology and modern medicine. But, parents need options. When 1 in every 150 children in our present time is diagnosed with Autism, we need a myriad of strategies available to us to find the one that best suits our children that are covered by the health insurance. We could have have a nation in the future generation of adults with autism...unable to live independently and fulfill their God given right to success and pursuit of happiness. Please support this bill and other bills to provide health insurance
coverage for Autism therapies like ABA-Applied Behavioral Analysis, RDI-Relationship Development Intervention, Speech & Occupational Therapy, Listening Therapy & Auditory Integration Therapy and Biomedical Treatment- Chelation therapy, Antioxidant therapy, etc.

Thank You for your time,
Margaret A. Graham