Center for Autism and Related Disorders to Host Free Autism Insurance Seminars to Help Parents Gain Access to Coverage

TARZANA, CA, November 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) will host two free Virginia Insurance Funding for Autism Seminars on Thursday, November 29 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. for practitioners and from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for parents at the CARD Virginia office, located at 5400 Shawnee Road, Suite 208 in Alexandria, Va. The free seminars will teach parents and practitioners how to access insurance coverage and understand the insurance changes that began earlier this year. The Virginia Autism Insurance Mandate (S 1062 / H 2467) requires that most health plans cover treatment for children with autism and related disorders.

"CARD is one of the world's largest organizations successfully treating individuals with autism we are happy to present this informational seminar to the local autism community," said Clinical Manager Mary Ann Cassell.

The law went into effect January 1, 2012 and requires insurance companies to provide evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies for children ages 2 through 6 with a $35,000 annual cap. The Virginia autism community joined forces to pass this legislation and financially relieve many families. A great deal of confusion still exists amongst parents who are dealing with their insurance providers. The CARD seminar will inform attendees what insurance companies will and will not cover, types of plans and rules regarding coverage, effective strategies to maximize benefits, how to understand the complexities of different insurance carriers, which plans must comply with S 1062 / H 2467 and what to know during open enrollment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every 88 children in America is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, making autism more prevalent than pediatric cancer, juvenile diabetes and childhood AIDS combined. Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that is marked by the presence of impaired social interaction and communication and a restricted repertoire of activities and interests.

"We know that many parents and practitioners are in need of this valuable information and are excited to teach them how to access coverage," said Cassell.

RSVP is required by November 26. To register contact Stacey Price at S.Price@centerforautism.com.

About the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.:
The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) is one of the world's largest and most successful organizations treating children with autism spectrum disorders using state-of-the-art therapy. CARD treats autism using the principles and procedures of applied behavior analysis which has been empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with autism and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. CARD treats individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with ASD, with 23 treatment centers around the globe and a staff of nearly 1,000. CARD was founded in 1990 by leading autism expert and clinical psychologist Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D. For more information about the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, visit: http://www.centerforautism.com or call (855) 345-2273.