When Health Insurance Companies Deny on the Basis of Autism

Navigating through the health insurance industry is a challenge. It is even more of a challenge if you do not understand the language that is used by those in the industry. If the person who is needing health insurance has Autism, then things are even more complicated, as health insurance companies will try to find every reason possible not to cover services in relation to Autism or completely deny anyone who is known to have the condition. If you are a parent who has a child who is Autistic and need to see to it that your child has access to healthcare when it is needed: or, if you are an individual who has Autism and want to make sure you can procure health insurance coverage for yourself, there are a couple of fabulous resources that can help in this regard.

If you do a Google search, you will find that there are numerous articles on the web that make it painfully obvious that health insurance companies work very hard to deny Autistic people. Even though Autism is a disability and not a disease or health problem, insurance companies will do everything in their power to see to it that people living with Autism will not be insured under their policies. They argue that such individuals need quite a great deal of maintenance, such as various treatments and therapies to manage the condition and keep things under control, thus will not be a good investment. Such individuals can't even get a basic insurance policy for basic healthcare needs, such as a doctor's visit for the cold or flu. In regards to this, the Autism Action Coalition tells us that families with Autistic children still have to pay for the same premiums as other families, though, they can, in no way shape or form; get their Autistic children insured under their policy. While everyone else in the family has health insurance coverage, the Autistic children are left out in the cold. These families must resort to other means to obtain healthcare for their Autistic children, as trying to provide basic healthcare straight out of pocket would be extremely expensive, as an average doctor's visit is almost two hundred dollars. Because of this, The Autism Action Coalition is helping parents to fight for their rights, as well as provides them with information as to how to best help and provide for their Autistic children. In addition to helping parents who have children with Autism, The Autism Action Coalition also strives to make sure Autistic adults are protected and that they receive insurance coverage for their health care needs. If you are an adult who is living with Autism and need support but cannot get the coverage that you need because your health insurance is denying you: or, if you are applying for health insurance but have been denied on the basis of Autism, the Autism Action Coalition is a wonderful resource to consult, as they will be more than happy to do whatever they can to help you receive the support services and the healthcare coverage that you have the right to have (Autism Action Coalition).

There are also a number of sites out there that will provide a great deal of information to parents that will enable them to navigate the field of health insurance more easily. They provide resources, and they give them the tools to fight against their insurance companies to obtain coverage for their Autistic children. Autistic adults are also included in that there are resources for them that they can utilize to enable them to fight their insurance companies to get vital services covered, as well as to see to it that they can even receive any health insurance coverage at all. Insurance Help for Autism is an absolute wonderful site for parents to consult in regards to fighting for coverage for their Autistic child. On this site, parents can find legal help, such as prewritten letters that they can customize and send to their insurance companies and people that they can talk to that will point them in the right direction and give them the resources that they need to fight the fine fight. There is also an FAQ that parents can read that will answer some of their most common questions about the insurance industry and obtaining coverage. And, there are comprehensive guides written for each state, as well as information in regards to the laws that protect Autistic children, making sure that they are treated fairly and are not denied health coverage. Autistic adults can also consult this site, should they find themselves in the situation that they cannot get their health insurance to cover certain services or should a situation occur that they have been denied for health insurance altogether. This site is, no doubt, a great starting place and will link you to a number of other resources on the web.

While the road to obtaining proper health coverage for your Autistic child or for yourself as a grown person living with Autism may seem long an arduous, you are not alone. Just know that there are a number of resources, as well as the law, on your side to help.

Work Cited

Autism Action Coalition. "Welcome." Autism Action Coalition. 2005-2008. Web. 28 Sep 2009. http://www.autismactioncoalition.org/welcome.html.