Johnson County Autism Support Group, Inc.  609 Treybourne Drive, Suite D  Greenwood, IN  46143
Text Box: Rumors with misinformation about Indiana's Autism Insurance Mandate have been circulating via the Internet. The Autism Society of Indiana is distributing this message in an attempt to clear up the confusion. The law itself has not been changed, and there are no changes pending at this time. The Indiana Department of Insurance's interpretation of the law changed around 2003, when the new administration appointed a new Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners. Some insurers had not caught up with the 2003 change in interpretation until last year, and some families appear to have been told in error that the law had changed to explain their insurer's change in payment policy. Per Bulletin 136, which was widely distributed, the insurer may place visit limits on SLP services, PT and OT -- but NOT Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy or Intensive Behavioral Text Box: Treatment -- IF the insurer places visit limitations on these services for physical illnesses. If the insurer offers extensions of benefits to patients with physical illnesses who apply for an extension beyond the plans limits, based upon medical necessity, then they must also offer this to autism patients. We strongly encourage all families to carefully plan their therapy schedules to accommodate this, and also to carefully document any and all regression related to the end of their benefits. If the child regresses in areas that were addressed by the therapy, they should file for an extension based upon medical necessity. For more information on the Autism Mandate, see "Insurance Mandate for Autism Spectrum Disorders Under Indiana State Law" on Text Box: the Indiana Resource Center for Autism's Web site, here: www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/ServArticles/INhealthInsurance.html The full text of Bulletin 136 is available for downloading from the Autism Society of Indiana's Web site, on the "Legislative Issues" page under the heading "Insurance Mandate in Indiana": www.inautism.org/pages.php?page_id=3 Text Box: Indiana’s Autism Mandate Text Box: Play Skills Group Text Box: The Johnson County Play Skills Group is FREE and open to all children ages 3 and up who are ready to play sports. All participants will learn the skills needed to play each sport with equipment and activities geared towards their age and ability. All activities are held at Sawmill Text Box: Woods Elementary School located near US 31 and Tracey Road in New Whiteland on Tuesday evenings from 6-7pm. Parents must stay during activities, siblings are welcome and you do not have to live in Johnson County to Text Box: participate. T-ball starts April 15 and runs through May 27. For more information, contact Wendy Gahimer at 407-2473 or wendygahimer@insightbb.com Text Box: Max the Moose Coming April 17, 2008

March Meeting:

Attorney Nicole Goodson brings us up to date on the changes to Article 7--Indiana's special education law. Come learn your child’s rights .

 

March 20 @ 7pm

Community Church of Greenwood

RSVP to Sheila@jcasg.org

Meeting Childcare:

It is very important that you RSVP childcare needs for meetings to Sheila@jcasg.org.