I can’t quite parse the language in the above-linked bill well enough to determine exactly what they’re trying to do. Could someone more fluent in legalese please tell me if this bill would do anything to remedy that issue?

As for DAN! doctors, is there any evidence at all that they actually “treat” autism successfully? And why should the government (or insurance companies, for that matter) pay for unproven “alternative” medicine?

IMHO, kids with autism don’t need medical treatment *for autism.* They just need access to education, like any other kid.

Our state recently included some mental health parity for autism if under the treatment of a licensed psych, or speech and OT under a developmental disabilities bill. Unfortunately we do not have Medicaid waiver, which still makes the whole thing an expensive enterprise, and ABA still gets the hit as “experimental”.

In Texas where we used to live, there was absolutely zero provision of ABA/ST or OT in the public school. So we paid out of pocket since our ERISA governed plan refused to cover autism related treatment … “Experimental” they called it.

Columbus dispatch does not mention anything about DAN therapy coverage. What the parents in the article would like to get coverage are mainstream therapies such as speech, OT, PT and behavioral therapy. These are therapies that most pediatrician recommend. There is still not enough evidence that show any of the DAN! therapy works. Even if the bill passed, I doubt that DAN therapies will be covered.