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Feb 17, 2006	OPM Issues Another Denial  OPM ABA Response 01-06.pdf
Dec 02, 2005	Lawmakers Press OPM on ABA Coverage  congr to opm 11-16-05 pg 1.pdf  congr to opm 11-16-05 pg 2.pdf
Nov 23, 2005	Washington Times Op-Ed Decries Lack of Public Policy for Autism
Sep 21, 2005	ABATCC Prepares to Address New OPM Director
Jun 08, 2005	Campaign Awaiting Confirmation of New OPM Director
Feb 22, 2005	CNBC Highlights Parents' Quest for ABA Insurance Coverage
Feb 19, 2005	Autism, ABATCC to be featured on NBC
Jan 26, 2005	Baltimore Sun Op-Ed Questions Absence of Public Policy for Autism Treatment
Dec 23, 2004	New York Times Publishes Article on ABA Insurance Coverage Battles
Nov 18, 2004	Small Setback, but the Fight Continues  OPM response.pdf

More than 20 Northern Virginia federal employee families have launched an effort to have their insurance providers cover Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy for their autistic children. Their objective is to have the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which currently has no policies on autism treatment, to develop guidelines that would require insurance companies within the federal health benefits system to extend coverage of ABA therapy to their enrollees. They also hope that their initiative will benefit families in the military and the private sector.

The families' effort is being supported by Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA), co-chairs of the Congressional Autism Caucus, congressmen from various Northern Virginia districts, as well as by John Gage, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents some 600,000 federal workers. Separately, these supporters have written letters to OPM Director Kay Coles James urging her to introduce into federal health insurance guidelines language that would reflect the proven benefits of early behavioral intervention and require that such intervention be covered by insurance.

ABA therapy coverage is already mandated by some US states, and extended by a number of companies in the private industry.

The families hope that their effort will help foster a general recognition among legislators, policy makers and the insurance industry that, in terms of benefits to the autistic child and long-term cost savings, ABA therapy is currently one of the few known effective means for combating a disorder that Congress itself recognized is reaching epidemic proportions.

Even though you might not be a federal employee, your support of this initiative is crucial as it might help establish a general benchmark in the treatment of autism. Please have your lawmakers call on OPM to make ABA therapy coverage part of federal health benefits policy.

To support the campaign, please see our Sample Letters.