According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 88 children is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders, or ASD, across the nation. In Michigan, approximately 16,000 students and 50,000 individuals have ASD. Last April, Lt. Governor Brian Calley signed an Autism Insurance Reform law, making Michigan the 30th state to mandate that state-regulated insurance plans offer coverage for autism treatment and diagnosis. The law also provides a $15 million coverage fund for autism insurance providers.
On March 18th, the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Michigan Autism Council released the ASD State Plan. Lt. Governor Brian Calley, and Jane Turner, a member of the Michigan Autism Council and a professor in the department of Pediatrics and Human development at Michigan State University discuss the ASD Plan.