BURZICHELLI: CHRISTIE HEALTH CARE PROPOSAL WILL HURT NEW JERSEY CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

BURZICHELLI:  CHRISTIE HEALTH CARE PROPOSAL WILL HURT
NEW JERSEY CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

(PAULSBORO) – Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro) today said that Right Wing Conservative Republican Chris Christie’s proposal for “mandate-free” plans would be disastrous since it would allow health care companies in New Jersey to skirt covering critical treatment for children with autism.

A new law was signed by Governor Corzine last Thursday that now requires health insurers in New Jersey to pay for therapy for children with autism-spectrum disorders.

“New Jersey families with an autistic child face enormous challenges each and every day – they should not have to face the staggering costs of treatment alone,” said Burzichelli.  “Christie’s proposal would allow insurance companies to stop covering the help, required by the law Governor Corzine just signed, that New Jersey families need in order to battle the complexities of autism. We have fought tirelessly to make health insurers cover the costs of some of these vital therapies.  We cannot allow Christie to undo our hard work, which ensures that thousands of New Jersey children with developmental disabilities have access to life-changing treatments.”

The new law will require New Jersey health insurers to cover the costs of therapy and treatment for autism-spectrum disorders including: Childhood Disintegrative Disorders, Asperger’s Syndrome and Rett’s Syndrome.  Specifically, it will mandate health insurance providers to cover up to $36,000 each year for medically-needed autism therapies including:  physical, speech, occupational therapy and evidence-based behavioral interventions for children up to age 21.
 
“It’s outrageous that Christie would gamble with the precious opportunity a child with developmental disabilities has to learn to communicate and socialize,” said Burzichelli.  “Studies have shown that the earlier a child with developmental disabilities receives therapy the more successful the treatments are.  Under Governor Corzine’s leadership, New Jersey is a national leader in enacting laws that support services and treatment for New Jersey families with a loved one with autism.  We must do all we can to ensure New Jersey children with autism have access to treatment that can vastly improve the quality of their lives.”

Burzichelli said the Governor’s running mate, Loretta Weinberg, also has been a strong advocate for New Jersey families with a loved one with autism.  He said that as prime sponsor of the new law she worked tirelessly to ensure the legislation unanimously passed both the Senate and Assembly in June.  

The Assemblyman said that Christie would give insurance companies free-reign to drop coverage for life-changing treatments for children with developmental disabilities with his proposal for stripped-down, “mandate-free” policies.  Burzichelli called this a step backwards for the state and said that even the director of Rutgers University Center for State Health Policy, Joel Cantor, said that this would effectively be a “repeal of the mandates.” [Christie for Governor Website, http://christiefornj.com/issues/affordable-health-insurance.html]

One out of every 94 children in New Jersey is diagnosed with autism – this is the highest reported rate in the nation according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Nationally, the rate is one in every 150 children.