Study: Autism costs strain family finances

I can relate to this article, and my 21 year old son is a high functioning autistic.  He attends college and is somewhat self-sufficient, of which I am extremely thankful, however he does require neurological treatment that cost $350 out of pocket monthly.  It would be great if insurance companies would recognize the needs of families with autistic children.  Many times treatment is not physically medical, but is necessary none the less.  These treatments are to allow children to learn how to act and react in certain circumstances.  My son was on medication for years, which the insurance company did cover, but when we decided to try the brain-training techniques recommended by his doctor we found this treatment not covered by insurance.  This allowed him to come off the medication, which was our goal, but it has cost us dearly financially.

I am fortunate as my son is high functioning. The costs are kept low by my staying at home and not having to look for a safe day care that takes special needs kids- those are astronomical! Main cost to us is for the medical diagnosis. Insurance won't pay for a lot of it because they consider it to experimental. It isn't dangerous, just a lot of observation and skill testing and seeing how the children do with certain stimuli. But until you get a diagnosis, they don't cover anything. The more severe the more treatment needed, a lot of which is still denied for what ever reason. 

Great Article.   Every bit of this is unfortunately true, down to the divorce factor.  Some say families with a autistic child have a 80% divorce rate.  It's easy to see why with the impact.  The other side is the undeniable lack of support from our healthcare.   Maybe in this period of change, we should look at model nations like Switzerland who assign a case worker to the families effected.   Something different than the little to nothing we do now.

My wife and I are in the 20% category of this, and we spend around $10,000 a year and only I work.   We need the support from healthcare.   Also, we need the CDC/FDA to come to us to get information as to how this may of happened and get to the chase on resolving what causes autism.  No one has contact us to this date, and I think that is simply ignorant that a great nation of forward thinkers can be so backward on this issue.   Not to sound astute, but I think the care needs to be put back into this nations health care..

Regards, Mike..

My son has Down Syndrome, so through his classes I know several families with Autism.  I say 'famlies' cause Autism, Down Syndrome, etc. is not just a diagnosis for the child - the entire family is effected.  The financial burden can be overwhelming.  My son also has Cystic Fibrosis.  The medical costs alone are requiring us to completely reorganize our finances.  As for divorce.....that happened as well.  Luckily I met a wonderful man that loves my son like his own and I couldn't do this without him.  I just know that my faith in God and sheer determination will get us through.  Good luck and God bless to all of you fighting this battle.

I totally agree.  My son has Autism and I recently had to quit my job because I was unable to find after school care for my son and my boss wouldn't work with me on my schedule.  My son needs dental work but we do not have the money to get it because he needs complete sedation as the woman in the article stated.  Also, when I tried to get government assistance (SSI) we made $30.00 to much, and I can't get unemployment because I quit.  Its a lose~lose situation.

THose who have to deal with autism would be well advised to check out this web site:   !! He has had some good success with this illness. Dr. Buttar has had good luck with treatments. Google search will find him - office is in North Carolina

Although our eight-year-old son is obviously worth every penny, the costs attendant to his various therapies have been crushing.  I'm an attorney, so we've been very fortunate financially, but we've gratefully accepted help from family, financial and otherwise.  God knows that the health insurers have done everything in their power to avoid paying for anything even remotely associated with autism.

I can't imagine taking care of an autistic child on less than $150,000 or so a year.  Even then, there are things you know your child would benefit from that you can't afford.

I worked for the Devereux Foundation for 6yrs.  They're the ones who discovered that what used to be called "childhood schizaphrenia" was not shizaphrenia, but a unique disorder and they named it "autism".  I worked in Mental Health for the past 24yrs. and have noticed that this  diagnosis has been used more and more liberally in the past 3yrs.  Be careful if your child has recieved this diagnoses and get second opinions and check the DSM IV to see if your child demonstrates most of the criteria listed in this diagnostic manual.  Autism is a chronic, lifelong condition and medical treatement varies dependant on the patients condition and diagnosis.

Vaccinations, and MSG.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAEwGqd12cs

Don't buy what goldfish?

This article would be more helpful if it did more than to announce the problem.  What solutions are available.  Where is our web link to help us know what to do?

Yes, the insurance companies try to deny payment or to cancel insurance for the sake of profit.  The country needs a high-risk pool of insurance, of course.  If the public had to sense to subsidise the very ill, all the better.  Let the insurance companies define the risks and bid for premiums for these individuals at higher rates to make it clear who belongs in the high risk pool.  The way they are going, I wonder if it is possible for most of the country to qualify.

We see a lot of people living on the streets or being sent to jail instead of receiving health care.  The county and state facilities are overstressed. Jail has got to be more expensive than home care.

Seriously, it is hard to understand why there is not more rational allocation of  resources and less spending on cosmetic surgery, parties, stadiums and sporting events and contests, and other things less necessary to the well-being of humans.  I suppose it is the rich person's choice to use hair dressers, cosmetic surgeons for non-reconstructive work, unproven medical treatments, spas, etc, etc.  However, public resources are often allocated to fun things instead of thinking in terms of the larger scheme of things.  Why?

This article really hit the nail on the head.   My daughter was diagnosed at 18mos. old with Autism and my insurance through my employer dropped us all together, leaving us with a very large diagnosis bills and holding the bag for many more.   Within two years I had to quit my job because my daughter was becoming more severe and my care providers could not continue taking care of her needs.   My husband's income is our only income and I have contact state agency after agency seeking assistance for a year and a half.   We were told to place my children in temporary foster care,  get a divorce,  move to another state, get a job, and quit your job.   These people could not empathize with my situation.   We made too much to even get SSI and we only make 44,000 a year.  And now, after all this,  we are sitting on a substantial amount of bills and can barely pay rent.   We are having to start bankruptcy and are fighting homelessness.   We are scared out of our minds and christmas is just right around the corner.   My husband and I have had many martial problems ever since she was diagnosed but it has worsened considerably with the financial strain.   We are exhausted and overwhelmed, and we are just bracing for the next problem to present itself.

I recently wrote a paper for my english class which included some startling facts, one in which we you are discussing now.  Until each and everyone one of us bombards our congressman about the financial strains that we are facing nothing will get done. No single person or family can get anything done by themselves, it is going to take all of us.  Spread the word.  I started to about two months ago and it is starting to work.  The problem in this country is that nobody cares until it directly affects them.  My proposal is anyone with a special needs child should be tax exempt to help pay medical bills.  I paid $22,000 in federal taxes last year which could have helped my daughters needs. Sad to say, I pay that much in taxes and get nothing in return from the govt.  I work two jobs and my wife works to help pays bills.  That money is probably paying for someone elses medical bills that doesn't work.  So, I am paying for two families medical bills and social security that i probably will never see.  Let us keep our that hard earned money and decide for ourselves where to spend it.  I know that i could quit a job if i had insurance that would quit denying to pay and my tax dollars back.  I am all for helping other people, but to what extent.  I should not have to work this hard and give money away for other people's benefit while my daughter could get more help and i could see my family more.   ANYONE AGREE????????  

17%  I would not go to the extent of not helping someone else in need because of my childs special needs, personally.   Yes, I have a special needs child and yes I need help.  No, there is no help for me because I am working middle class but,   I recognize the fact that there are others in totally seperate issues with totally different problems  that are needing help also.  If they are able to receive the help they need I am happy for them.  I do agree there are many that abuse the systems in place and it is unfair that we cover those individuals.  But, there are people whom are utulizing the system and what it can provide them because they are in similar or worse situations than myself.    What upsets me is the working middle class is totally left out to dry.  There is no help for us.   And obviously you can relate to this because your working two jobs.   Autism is a gray area in the medical world.  They don't want to look at it as a medical issue nor do they want to look at it as a mental disability.  That is why we all are having such problems with insurance and high medical bills.   Insurance is in it for the money and have always tried to find loop holes to get out of financial obligations.  Thats insurance companies even before the rise of Autism.  I am fine paying taxes just like everyone else.  I don't expect to be exempt because of my horrible situation.  But,  I  wish there was a little more hope for my family and families like mine.    And I do understand what you are saying.  There are very few people that actually empathize with one another.  And the way things are it does make it near impossible for families with disabilities to have time together, let alone enjoy the time they have together because of the strain we are all under.  But, if no one was made to help others (by paying taxes)  no one would be helping anyone and it would be a much worse country all around.   I have tried to obtain help expecially with my childs worsening condition.  Now if it went by people picking and choosing whom they help, I could still see no help either way if they chose it.   I could/would be in the same boat I am in now.  Unfortunately,  it's not black and white.  And ultimately, there has to be a change on the federal level for all families with disabilities.   They need to enforce that each state have the state insurance for Autistic children (and like) wheather the families are working middle class or below poverty level.  They need to at least have it available for the families so it can help their financial situation.  And they can prove grants to individuals if they are providing them to corporate america.  It has to come from the Federal and State level, though.  Then things may change for the positive for all the families in this country struggling with Autisms or other disabilities.

For five dollars a month, I cured my son's autism using a daily green food supplement. Check it out: 

Check out this link.  It's got info of a  Shriner's Grotto for Special needs dental care.  NOT AN ADD!!!

The first thing I thought when I saw the title of this article, was..."DUH". Of course autism costs families more money. I quit teaching and now home school my son. Medication, supplements and special diets cost more. Doctors, psychiatrists and therapies cost more. Unfortunately, autism is classified as a mental disorder rather than a neurological disorder, so even insurance companies don't cover it well. The stress and dysfunction it adds to a family is also a burden. My only concern with all of the attention to it is that there are people who over diagnose and there are others who don't believe that it is real because of the attention it gets. This makes it seem less serious to onlookers. It is a catch 22.

Wow.  What a needed study this was.  Until I read this I thought having autistic kids was a piece of cake that even turned a profit.  No idea there were any costs or tragedy involved with it.  God I'm so informed now.