Politics & Government

DiCianni Asked to Help Align Autism Law With Affordable Care Act

"I am looking forward to this challenge."—Pete DiCianni, DuPage County Board Dist. 2

Of the 20,000 pages in the Affordable Care Act, key provisions addressing autism have been overlooked and omitted, according to a press release from DuPage County Board Commissioner Pete DiCianni of Elmhurst. The Illinois Autism Task Force has appointed DiCianni insurance lead to help clear up red tape and make it easier for families to cope medically and financially with a child’s autism diagnosis as ACA goes into effect in 2014. 

Many states adopted autism insurance reform after Illinois passed landmark legislation back in 2008. DiCianni, the law’s champion and author, fought for the rights of more than 10,000 Illinois children suffering from the disorder. Currently 33 states follow Brianna’s Law, named after DiCianni’s daughter, who is now a high-functioning 10-year-old thanks to early diagnosis and intensive therapy intervention made more affordable and accessible through insurance reform. 

But until a national mandate is passed, many self-insured families or those with out-of-state plans go uncovered because they are exempt from state law. It is still unknown if the new exchanges being implemented under the Affordable Care Act will have to comply with state law or if they only have to abide by the federal law, which would exempt the vital autism coverage. A federal fix would also cover the 17 remaining states that have not adopted Brianna’s Law. 

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“I am looking forward to this challenge, as we have nearly a third of about 20,000 children in Illinois without important insurance tools thanks to gaps in insurance coverage," DiCianni said in a prepared statement. "My goal is to bring this matter to key federal officials, such as Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk, then build a bi-partisan coalition as I did in Illinois to include Brianna’s Law in the Affordable Care Act."

When he was the former mayor of Elmhurst, DiCianni authored two additional autism-related laws that passed with bipartisan support. James’ Law, a 911 legislation, passed in 2011, and the Autism Insurance Protection Act of 2012, which grandfathered in children who would otherwise lose their diagnosis based on changes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)

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Autism is the country’s No. 1 diagnosed medical condition for children. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in every 50 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A decade ago, that number was 1 in 150. 

 “I am proud to be the champion for children and families, and for being the voice for those who often do not have one,” DiCianni said. “Every child should have access to the tools to deal with autism, which can be extremely debilitating if gone untreated. We know too much, and shame on us if we do not address these issues head on.”

Source: DuPage County Board member Pete DiCianni


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