Last week, Governor Edward Rendell (D-PA) signed into law a bill that, starting next July, insurers are mandated to cover autism diagnosis and treatment up to $36,000 per year until age 21. Treatments include behavior analysis, as well as social, verbal and other behavioral skills to help develop skills in each area. For those families surpassing the $36,000 annual cap, they may turn to the state’s Medicaid program to fill gaps in treatment.

While California has enacted mental health bills prior, one in 2000 covering autism, litigation has ensued on which treatments are experimental and which are proven. “Experimental” treatments, according to insurers are not covered. Pennsylvania has specifically written their bill to avoid such litigation and spells out specific treatments to make it nearly impossible for insurers to weasel out of payment.

Read the whole story here: Pa. bill mandates insurance for autism

Taxpayers pay up to 30% more for prescriptions under the privately administered program than under Medicaid, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform finds.

By Nicole Gaouette, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 25, 2008

WASHINGTON — U.S. drug manufacturers are reaping a windfall from taxpayers because Medicare’s privately administered prescription drug benefit program pays more than other government programs for the same medicines, a House committee charged in a report Thursday.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found that taxpayers are paying up to 30% more for prescription drugs under Medicare’s privatized Part D program for seniors and the disabled than under the government’s Medicaid program for the poor.

Read the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform reports:
Majority (Democrat)
Minority (Republican)

Read the rest of the Los Angeles Times story here: Medicare Part D a boon for drug companies, House report says

This year Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) introduced the Disability Savings Act of 2008 which promotes Disability Savings Accounts. These accounts provide exemption from federal taxation and used as supplemental income to existing programs (Medicaid, SSI, etc) with regard to disability related expenses.

If passed it would amend existing Internal Revenue Service codes to allow up to $250,000 to beneficiaries under the age of 65 having disabilities. The money accumulated in this account could be used for respite, care, education as well as funeral and burial services. It would also exempt these accounts from being taken into account while calculating Medicaid and other means-based benefits.

More information on the bill can be found here: S. 2741

Full text of the bill can be found here: S. 2741 PDF Document as of 07/24/08

Kareem Dale with a disability himself was appointed by the Obama campaign to head outreach efforts to the disability community. He will be attending conferences, coordinating grass roots efforts, speaking on behalf of the campaign and even ensuring accessible campaign locations.

Throughout his campaign, Obama has been seeking involvement from all different types of communities to open up polling places to everyone.

Obama Campaign Hires New Disability Vote Director

The Americans with Disabilities Act’s 18th anniversary is today, and with it comes some interesting numbers as to where people with disabilities stand. Originally published by ABC-7 News comes some statistics the numbers of people having disabilities, numbers about education, income status, employment, etc.

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Michael Savage, a well-known radio host, depicted children with autism as “misbehaved brats.”  While, those weren’t the exact words he used; it definitely catches the sentiment he provided.  In a New York Times article published on July 22, Jacques Steinberg wrote as follows:

On the July 16 installment of his program, which is broadcast every weekday, Mr. Savage suggested that “99 percent of the cases” of autism were a result of lax parenting. He told his audience: “They don’t have a father around to tell them, ‘Don’t act like a moron. You’ll get nowhere in life.’ ” Among the other admonitions he felt children with autism should be hearing, he said, were: “ ‘Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.’ ”

Asked Monday if he actually believed that 99 out of every 100 cases of autism were misdiagnosed, Mr. Savage conceded that figure was “a little high.” He added, “It was hyperbole.”

But he said he was proud to have prodded discussion on the subject, and planned to give over his entire show on Monday — broadcast live from Northern California from 3 to 6 p.m., Pacific time — to parents and other callers who wished to disagree with him and to educate him.

I encourage those parents or friends and family members to tune into his nationally syndicated program and listen and give him your feedback.

As part of an annual convention held by the National Council on Independent Living close to 700 people marched on Capitol Hill in order to advocate for the Americans with Disabilities Act Restoration Act. This crucial piece of legislation would reinstate many of the provisions originally intended by Congress which have been eroded by the United States Supreme Court.

Courtesy of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, a quick overview of the Supreme Court’s decisions which have had adverse effects on employment of people with disabilities can be found here: How the Courts Shrunk Coverage Under the ADA

With only a few weeks left in this Senate’s session, advocates are pushing to have Congress act on the law this year. Though, Senate Republicans have said they are working quickly to fix a few issues they have with the bill, advocates hope it will be fixed in time for the close of this year’s session.

A much more in-depth article from the march can be found here: Hundreds with Disabilities March for Rights in D.C., Rain or Shine

Today the United States Department of Justice released a press release commemorating the 18th year of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The press release also cites recent victories on behalf of Americans with disabilities.

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Recently received via e-mail were some funding opportunities compiled by the California Department of Public Health. These funding opportunities are in the form of grants to be prepared for specific organizations.

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The San Francisco Chronicle posted an amazing article detailing some of the major issues within California’s educational system surrounding the autism spectrum.

The story cites that far too few qualified teachers are being hired to help individuals with autism spectrum disorders meet their full potential. While it only costs about $8,500 annually for regular education, the annual cost of the specialized education is about $36,000.

It’s a fascinating article with an in-depth view of California’s educational system with regards to autism spectrum disorders: State’s schools lack cohesive plan for autism

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Northern California Disability News.

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