Below are (1) My expression of appreciation to the Liberal Party of Canada South Surrey - White Rock for its resolution in support of Medicare coverage for Autism Treatment followed by (2) the resolution itself.
1
I wish to thank the Liberal Party of Canada South Surrey – White Rock
for your resolution calling for Medicare coverage of Applied Behavior Analysis
for Autism. If the resolution is passed and makes its way into Medicare it will
be of immense importance in improving the lives of many with autism and the
families who love and care for them. I am a Fredericton NB father
of a 20 year old son with severe autism and severe limitations in speech and
communication. My son did not have
access to intensive early ABA but has received some ABA in the school system
without which he would not have been able to proceed in school and we would
have been even more challenged in caring for him and having him live at home
with us. He has loved going to school
and receiving ABA and it has been a wonderful experience for him.
Our family experience is consistent with the overwhelming body of
decades of scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of ABA treatment
for autism. The most comprehensive and credible review of the science
supporting ABA is found in the American Academy of Pediatrics publication Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders which stated with respect to ABA scientific support:
“The effectiveness of
ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of
research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies
of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university
and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral
treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language,
academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social
behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of
children in control groups.31–4” (2007,
confirmed 2012)
Many parents of autistic children across Canada have
our fingers crossed hoping this very worthy resolution is passed and ultimately incorporated in Medicare.
The Liberal Party of Canada South Surrey – White Rock
has this autism parent’s respect and appreciation.
Sincerely,
Harold
L Doherty
Conor’s Dad
Fredericton
NB
2
The Liberal Party of Canada South Surrey - White Rock Resolution calling for for Medicare Coverage for the treatment of Autism:
Medicare Coverage for the treatment of
Autism
WHEREAS the rate of autism spectrum disorder (“ASD ”) among Canadian children is now a shocking 1
in 68, constituting a national epidemic and, for reasons unknown, continues to
rise;
WHEREAS Canada’s “universal” health care system
currently excludes from coverage the recognized, effective, science-based
treatment for ASD called Applied
Behavioural Analysis (“ABA”), despite the deplorable incidence of this
neurological condition and advocacy from numerous citizen groups;
WHEREAS the BC Supreme Court, in 2000, found that ABA
was “medically necessary treatment” and that “there were no effective competing
therapies”, a decision which was upheld on appeal by the BC Court of Appeal and
the Supreme Court of Canada;
WHEREAS funding in Canada respecting ABA for ASD currently is not only grossly insufficient, it
varies widely between provinces;
WHEREAS the lifetime cost of an individual receiving
inadequate treatment (or none) for ASD
is reliably estimated between $2.4 - $3.2 million, excluding indirect costs to
society; and
WHEREAS the US Government requires all states to
provide treatment for ASD as part
of state-wide Medicaid programs and 43 out of 50 states require private health
insurers to provide coverage for ASD
treatment;
BE IT RESOLVED the Canada Health Act be amended to
include Medicare coverage for ABA for ASD
or, alternatively, the Government of Canada work with all provincial and
territorial governments to ensure inclusion of ABA for ASD
within their respective Medical Services Plans.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Government of Canada
provide funding to each province and territory to fully cover the costs
associated with the provision of ABA treatment of ASD .
South Surrey-White Rock
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