So I'm watching the news the other night - might have been 20/20, or more likely MSNBC, or CNN I'm not really sure, but I do remember that I was playing on my laptop as I often do while watching TV, because I hate commercials, and they are the perfect time to go and update my facebook status, or yahoo a friend for a few minutes until the show that I'm sort of half watching comes back on.
However, I did sit up and take notice when they announced "coming up - a new breakthrough in autism treatment"
Great, I thought - This may be something worth checking out.
I had looked into getting Joey into private IBI therapy (a well received treatment) but since it's not covered under universal health care, it would be 100% out of pocket.
We had tried to get private health insurance for the kids - but it seems that they are being denied because they have an official diagnosis - this means that they are ineligible for any private health insurance - including dental benefits.
My kids are generally healthy - go to the dentist twice a year, and have zero cavities thus far.
They are not on any medication for their disability, and when I questioned the insurance company on what effect they thought autism could possibly have on dental care, or prescription drug use - I was stonewalled with the blanket "We cannot cover autism as it is a preexisting condition"
I tried to reason with them - saying that it has no bearing on their teeth, nor does it cause ear infections or anything else that kids typically come down with that may require a prescription.
Didn't matter.
My kids have autism, therefore, they cannot be covered under private insurance, no dental benefits, no prescription benefits.
This is beyond stupid to me, but I digress
Back to the IBI therapy that is of course, not covered by anyone except for our own pockets and since Joey is in school 2-3 days a week, I was looking at maybe 2 days a week for a few hours.....
$2500 a month.
Wahhhhhhhhhht???
Outrageous.
That's $30,000 a year!
Even 1 day a week - for a few hours was still $1000 month.
still pricey to be sure - and not within our budget for what I consider to be too few hours to make enough of a difference to justify the cost.
So when I heard the news proclaiming a promising new autism treatmet - my ears perked up.
First they introduced a family currently undergoing the treatment - they were receiving it free of charge, since the station was doing a 3 part series on this fabulous treatment with real promise and delivering results.
It involved a psychologist coming to the house and writing down a whole bunch of stuff - triggers and behavioural modification techniques.
My first thought was that it wasn't really any different than IBI therapy, except that it involved a certified psychologist who came to the house, rather than taking the child to see an IBI therapist.....
Then they came back with the price.
Yes folks - you too can have this wonderful treatment for the tidy little sum of $20,000. A week.
Oh, and of course it's not covered under any health plans or benefit packages - so..........
GAH - This makes me so angry.
WHY would they report this?
WHO has an extra 20 grand lying in their back pocket every week - why that's only a million dollars a year - Surely most of the population can manage that right?
Isn't it a little cruel and irresponsible to report a 'breakthrough in autism treatment" that 99% of the population doesn't have a hope in Hades of ever being able to afford? It's more discouraging than anything else to know that treatment is available but is so cost prohibitive.
I really wanted to kick someone but
I just changed the channel instead.
Stupid news.
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8 comments:
That is just outrageous! On so many levels. Firstly, that any kind of therapy would even cost that much. Secondly, that it broadcast on the news. Surely any family that had that kind of money would ALREADY be receiving other (unfunded) therapy, like IBI?
It sucks to know that there is a potentially useful therapy out there, but you can't touch it.
Stupid is right.
so.freaking.frustrating. ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
that's actually a little disgusting.....
Soooooo.....basically, if Donald Trump's kid gets autism, he's set...
Gimme a break.
And did it even work? Will it work for sure, on EVERY autistic kid? Nope..imagine even managing to get that money together and then hearing " oh sorry, it doesn't seem to have worked with your kid" Ack....I know my boys are relavitely mild but as time goes on, more and more the idea of changing the way they are means changing who they are. I am sure that they will function in this world, albeit in a bizarre and eccentric way but to me, that's rather splendid.
I still read about Joey and see how far ahead of Isaac, at that age, he is and I know you are so on theball and doing everything to help him. He and your other boys are going to be fine, they ARE fine, rejoice in difference is what I say.
That'll be £1,000,000.Thankyou.
That's shocking! I'm left without anything to say, and that's rare! I'm still stunned by the $1,500 cost of 8 weeks of music therapy/anxiety treatment we are getting for Mel. That's for 8 weeks for 2hours with 3 other kids. I should have been a psychologist...seems like it must pay well.
You're right, that is cruel. And very disappointing. :(
That should have been the news the million dollar treatment... maybe that would have turned some heads. And so what good is it to live in Canada if your children are not covered... bugs me so much when they just quote their little memorized line... even if they would agree with you, :you are right Mrs M, this is ludicrous... so sorry Jenn, I wish I could make them all melt away......
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