Autistic funding win

While my heart goes out to cash-strapped states struggling desperately to deal with budgets while maintaining services, I nevertheless am heartened for the parents of autistic children in the court’ s finding on this case.  The medical community demands  compliance with AMA’s vaccination scheduling of healthy little babies.  Then when their babies develop autism and other immune related diseases  which in many peoples minds, are attributable to  these vaccinations – something must be done.

When enough people finally put 2 and 2 together, maybe the states can pursue reimbursement from the Pharmaceutical companies who manufacture the vaccines and the AMA who demands that people submit to their rulings. Jan

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State loses ground in Medicaid autism case

Ohio must keep funding kids’ services

By Alan Johnson

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The state has lost another round in its battle with a group of central Ohio parents over funding Medicaid services for their autistic children.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling issued last year that the state cannot adopt new eligibility rules that would eliminate or drastically curtail Medicaid services for autistic children.  Late last week, the appeals court affirmed a decision by Judge James L. Graham of U.S. District Court in Columbus. He had granted a temporary restraining order blocking the state from implementing new Medicaid rules that would have been effective July 1, 2008. The appeals court said Graham did not exceed his authority as lawyers for the state claimed.

The state is continuing to pay for the autism services, which can run up to $60,000 per year per child, pending appeal.

The Parents League for Effective Autism Services, a group of families of autistic children served by Step By Step Academy in Worthington and represented by Ohio Legal Rights Service, sued the Ohio Department of Mental Health and the Department of Job and Family Services over the proposed changes.

The suit directly affects about 60 families in central Ohio. However, it could have statewide and national effects because it is among the first legal challenges to federal standards for funding autism services, one of the most frequently diagnosed developmental disabilities.

A spokesman for the Department of Job and Family Services said that the agency has no comment pending final disposition of the case.

State officials said the changes are necessary to keep Ohio in compliance with federal Medicaid regulations. Parents countered that the rules violated their rights to service under Medicaid.

The appeals court ruling dealt only with the restraining order and not with the larger issue of what the court called “an ambiguous federal Medicaid provision.” That matter will proceed to trial, but no date has been set.

ajohnson@dispatch.com

Healthcare reform to embrace CAM?

Now, here is something I can REALLY get behind.  If this gets included – – everything will havr been worthwhile! Jan

American Association for Health Freedom

Protecting the right of the Consumer to choose
                   and the Practitioner to Practice

An influential group of U.S. senators say it is time to embrace an array of alternative therapies!

Has the Time Come for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) to Join the Mainstream? An influential group of U.S. senators say it is time to embrace an array of alternative therapies!

The Boston Globe reports that Sens. Harkin, Mikulski and Enzi are sponsors and supporters of an amendment to the healthcare reform legislation that would forbid healthcare plans to discriminate against any healthcare provider who is state-licensed. Sen. Harkin’s aides indicate the amendment is designed to provide coverage for alternative medicine.

Washington state Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn was embroiled in controversy in 1996 when HMO firms that wanted to do business in Washington were told they must accept “any willing provider” who was licensed by the state. Insurance companies had not previously covered the services of naturopathic practitioners and other CAM providers. Legal battles ensued, but Commissioner Senn prevailed in her insistence that consumers in Washington were entitled to the services of “any willing provider” if an insurance company wrote policies where naturopathic physicians, for example, were licensed.

While the standard AMA position is “there is little evidence to confirm the safety or efficacy of most alternative practices,” that rings hollow when conventional medicine is put to the scientific test. While many may say alternative health care coverage is not a good idea, there are many who do not avail themselves of these services because insurance coverage is lacking. A potential national health insurance program once again brings the matter to light. According to Sen. Harkin, “It’s time to end the discrimination against alternative healthcare practices.” The nearly 500,000 licensed providers of alternative and integrative therapies may be heard to say “Amen” to that statement. This is a basic issue of health care freedom for all American practitioners and the patients who use these therapies.

August 4, 2009