The high cost of autism

     I’m working on our 2007 taxes and just finished adding up the unreimbursed and uncovered medical expenses we incurred, and it was a significant percentage of our income. We spent over $3,000 in occupational therapy costs alone. Had we been able to find a physical therapist or a feeding therapist in our remote little mountain town in Colorado, we would’ve spent at least that much on each of those therapists as well, because C needed it desperately.

     Part of the reason we moved back to Arizona is the state sponsored, diagnosis based insurance that offers developmental therapies and respite care at no cost to us. They pay deductible costs, co-pays and the percentage balance our main insurance plan doesn’t cover. Arizona is also one of the states currently trying to force insurance companies to cover therapy costs for families with autism.   Bravo, Arizona!