jennifer wrote on March 12, 2009 02:25 PM: At the rate autism is growing everyone that posted a comment will be affected or at least know someone that has autism at some point in their lifetime. I hope when that happens to the people they care about they will have the neccessary medical insurance coverage. Autism is an epidemic and families are faced with huge financial burdens to get their children the therapies they need. These kids with autism deserve to reach their full potential in life. I am a proud parent of a child with autism. My daughter struggles daily and deserves to get the neccessary treatments just like any other child with a disability. I hope the legislatures and isurance companies can continue to work together and help these kids in southern Nevada.

Comment Policy wrote on March 11, 2009 02:03 AM: Dear LVRJ, the following posters have violated paragraph 2 and/or paragraph 3 of the Comment Policy and this is a request per paragraph 1 for their comments to be removed from the permanent record:

HELENWEILS
Jack
db
flacon de neige
ryan
Dave & Traci

Too_much_government wrote on March 10, 2009 08:18 PM: A health insurer might react to this kind of legislation by surrendering its license. That would reduce competition. Or, an insurer might decide to add autism coverage by dropping coverage for some other child conditions. Or, a health insurer might try to raise its rates. Either way, health insurance consumers who liked their policies just the way they were will be inconvenienced.

We don't want politicians writing insurance policies. We don't want them mucking around with the private sector. Big government never knows when to quit.

Julie wrote on March 10, 2009 07:57 PM: I am proud to be one of the parents fighting to ensure our children get the proper treatment they deserve. We are not asking for free services, we are asking to use the medical coverage we pay for out of our paychecks every week. I hope our legislators and the insurance industry will continue to work together to help find a way to cover the services needed to help children with autism get the medical help they need to lead productive healthy lives.

Dave & Traci wrote on March 10, 2009 05:16 PM: Oh thank you Jan! We love you dearly! These people and their comments are unbelievable!
Helen...shame on you....Flacon de who ever you are you stink too!

Ralph Toddre wrote on March 10, 2009 04:56 PM: I am very optimistic that the Autism Commission, the legislators, and the insurance industry will come to an agreement on this Bill that will be good for all. Remember our kids did not choose to have Autism. It is a medical condition that affects 1 in 150. More than all other childhood diseases combined. Our kids have a right to as good a life as possible. All kids, and all of their diseases should be given equal coverage. Over the past 10 years all childhood diseases have grown at an astronomical rate, not just Autism. Unfortunately, it just happens to be the fastest growing one. It's the right Bill, at the right time. Learn the facts, and you hopefully will understand the need, and maybe even agree.

Jack wrote on March 10, 2009 04:56 PM: Sorry Jan, whenever we see these sob stories in the RJ it is simply another one sided coverage designed to make me feel bad for someone else. This is designed so that I can fork over more taxes or pay higher insurance premiums to take care of other people. When the government gets involved in insurance and medicine, everyone suffers. We are all very sorry that someone got autism...that does not make it right for the government to step in, tell teh insurance companies that they have to pay for it. It is also grossly unfair for you to use overinflated statistics to try to scare us into socialism.
Should this go through, I hope that the insurance companies are allowed to force these baby factories to test prior to having kids that all of us have to pay for!

Jan Crandy wrote on March 10, 2009 02:44 PM: As a parent of child with autism, I am grateful to see the insurance lobbyists coming to the table, they do see the need and the long term of effects of not providing coverage.

Autism is a medical condition and when families or the companies they work for pay for insurance, their children should be covered on their plan. That is why, one has health insurance. If you had cancer, and your plan covered cancer, but did not pay for chemotherapy, how much would your insurance plan benefit you, would it help to save your life, or were those monthly premiums a waste of money. That is the case with autism, to exclude or to not cover the treatment proven most effective, is just wrong. the increase to monthly premiums is less than the price of a Big Mac.

With treatment, about 50% of the children will make life altering improvements, enough so to go on to lead independent lives, become tax payers. Without treatment, they will need special education, and life long supports. And most will relay on the system that tax payers provide for. Autism is going to effect everyone, not just the families who have children with autism, it has is an epidemic, we will pay a bigger price in the future if we choose not to provide treatment or access to treatment now. Care before you have to.

ryan wrote on March 10, 2009 02:44 PM: Hey Helenweils, You suck. Now get to your corner and make my money.

flacon de neige wrote on March 10, 2009 01:19 PM: Dear jack,
ROFLMAO!! I absolutely agree with you. Thanks for posting, i got a good laugh.

Read All Comments