autism

Portland Think Tank Introduces New Approach to Decrease Childhood Illness

Nutrition, decreased environmental hazards key to preventing miscarriages, cancer, think tank says.

A Portland-based think tank is hopeful that a focused approach on the health of a mother before and during pregnancy could be the revolutionary breakthrough that helps prevent everything from miscarriages to neurological disorders such as autism.

By: 
Shelby Sebens

Autism Advocates Optimistic Insurance Division Will Assist with Older Claims

A bulletin issued last week from Insurance Commissioner Laura Cali made clear that insurance companies have to pay for applied behavior analysis treatment, but only back to the date of a class-action ruling in August.

A bulletin from the Oregon Insurance Division has decreed that coverage of a controversial but popular treatment for autism is the clear law of the land, following a landmark ruling from a federal district court judge this summer.

By: 
Chris Gray

Study identifies new genetic risk factors for autism

A new study published online today in the journal Nature identifies 27 genes that, if mutated, will either cause autism or contribute to its risk. The study is the most comprehensive look at the genomes of parents and children where one child is affected by autism.

PORTLAND, Ore. – A new study published online today in the journal Nature identifies 27 genes that, if mutated, will either cause autism or contribute to its risk. The study is the most comprehensive look at the genomes of parents and children where one child is affected by autism.

By: 
Mirabai Vogt

Internal Memo Grants Autism Coverage to Providence Employees

Separately, proposed rules from the Insurance Division on Friday to make insurance companies comply with the recent court decision against Providence forces insurers to pay for claims back to 2008 and lifts a 25-hour cap on coverage for applied behavior analysis.

Providence employees will now have comprehensive autism treatment covered, according to an internal memo to “Providence caregivers” obtained by The Lund Report.

By: 
Christopher David Gray

Providence Employees Unsure if Judge’s Autism Ruling Applies to Their Kids

Earlier this month, federal district Judge Michael H. Simon ordered Providence Health Plan to cover applied behavior analysis on plans it sells in the Oregon insurance market, but Providence may not be bound to his ruling for its own employees, who are covered by a self-insured plan exempt from state laws. At least one mother wonders if her daughter will get the treatment she’s been prescribed.

A federal judge’s ruling earlier this month paved the way for autistic children who are covered by Providence Health Plan’s fully insured plan to receive needed treatment, but that ruling didn’t automatically open the door for the children of Providence Health & Services’ own employ

By: 
Christopher David Gray

PEBB Approves ABA Therapy for Autistic Children

Its decision follows a ruling by the state’s insurance commissioner requiring all insurers to cover such treatment.

Applied behavior analysis therapy is now available to the children of state employees, following a unanimous decision by the Public Employees Benefit Board on Tuesday, which authorized the state to begin paying for treatment as of August 1.  

By: 
Joanne Scharer

Providence Loses Autism Case in Federal District Court

But a separate lawsuit, brought against the Public Employees Benefit Board, burns on, as the state of Oregon argues that the mental health parity law doesn’t apply to it. Meanwhile, the Health Evidence Review Commission is expected to approve applied behavior analysis for the Oregon Health Plan at its meeting later this week.

Providence Health Plan has lost the federal class-action lawsuit brought by the parents of preschool-age autistic children after the insurer denied their physician-prescribed treatment, applied behavior analysis.

By: 
Christopher David Gray

Shields Pushes to Empower DCBS as Effort to Put Insurance Under UTPA Flounders

The Lund Report
Senate Bill 414 would give DCBS the authority to order insurance companies to pay meritorious claims to consumers, while House Bill 3160 — the push to put allow consumers and businesses to sue insurers for fraud under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act, which passed the House — is close to being dead in the Senate.

 

June 17, 2013 — Paul Terdal is not a lawyer, and he never intended on learning the Oregon insurance code backwards and forwards, but his sons have autism, and his health insurance company — Kaiser Permanente — wouldn’t pay for their prescribed treatment, applied behavioral analysis.

By: 
Christopher David Gray

Senate Health Committee Approves Treatment for Autistic Children

The Lund Report
Private insurers and public health plans will be required to cover applied behavior analysis after a deal is reached between autism advocates, insurers and Sen. Alan Bates, a Medford physician.

 

April 19, 2013 — A landmark bill regarding autism passed the Senate Health Committee unanimously Thursday, paving the way for insurance coverage of a specialized treatment that supporters say will help severely handicapped autistic children live more functional lives.

By: 
Christopher David Gray

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