Therapy Cost Rip-off?

by Kristina Chew · 2009-02-17 15:37:00 UTC
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Image by Sylvar You're a parent trying to do the right thing for your child who's just been diagnosed with autism and given a prognosis of "we just don't know whether he'll talk" or "she'll never be able to live independently." Or, it was years ago since you heard that and now your child, after making her way through preschool, kindergarten, elementary school and even middle school, is just not able to cope in the too big wide chaos of high school and starts to fall apart and you think, frantically, what can I do, I have to do something?

Whatever it costs.

I've said it myself that I'd "pay anything to help my child" and Jim and I have written our share of cheques (and continue to write some, though not quite as many as when Charlie was younger). The hard part is figuring out, what therapies to try and with which therapists? Does a higher price tag necessarily mean better therapies?

No and yes, yes and no. Many of us raised an eyebrow about the $20,000 cost for one week of therapy from Autism Partnership for a 13-year-old in southern California. In Australia, the Star reports that, according to a local autism charity, families and taxpayers are being "ripped off by a disability service provider in the western suburbs." Under the government's "Helping Children with Autism Package," families had a choice of only one service provider who charged up to twice as much as other providers:

“The government has these approved service providers which means that we can’t go out and pay for private services,” Mr [Chris] Saunders [of Autism Angels] said.

“And we’re not talking about alternative therapies, crystal therapy, dolphin therapy – I currently pay for a speech therapist out of my own pocket because the approved provider out here charges double the amount of most others that you’ll find in the market at the moment.

(One has to wonder what the rates for the three "alternate" therapies mentioned would add to the bill.......)

The February 15th Australian also notes that a certain doctor connected with the MMR controversy is well-provided for.

How much is too much?

Photo by sylvar.

Kristina Chew
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