Therapy room at Lighthouse Autism Center with toys on a table with blue chairs and book shelves above

Lighthouse Autism Center Prepares Families for Insurance Open Enrollment in November

As a result of changes from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Open Enrollment period for insurance is now occurring only once per year. For coverage starting in 2015, the Open Enrollment period is November 15, 2014- February 15, 2015. Individuals may also qualify for Special Enrollment periods outside of Open Enrollment if they experience certain events. So, unless parents of a child with autism have a qualifying event, they will need to take advantage of the Open Enrollment period to make sure they can obtain autism therapy coverage for their child in 2015.

Why parents cannot afford to wait an entire year to enroll

Lighthouse Autism Center typically sees an uptick in clients in the August and September timeframes, when kids go back to school. This increase in numbers stems from parents getting repeat calls from school to pick up a “problematic” child. It is critical for parents with children evaluated and diagnosed with autism to take advantage of Open Enrollment so coverage for therapy can begin promptly in 2015, as needed.

Waiting until the next Open Enrollment period in November 2015 will delay needed therapy for an entire year and can have a negative impact on a child’s development. A child having to delay full-time autism therapy for one year loses out on 2,040 hours of therapy which could have been spent teaching them new skills. One year in the development of a child, depending on the child’s age, can mean the difference between being potty trained, learning to talk, and learning to play well with others. The earlier a child receives services, the better their chances of reaching his/her full potential. Some behavior analysts actually say that one year of a learned inappropriate behavior will result in six months to “unlearn” the behavior and learn a more appropriate one. If undesirable behaviors are compounded, this could essentially add a need for more therapy time than originally necessary.

To read the entire October issue of The Autism Beacon, click here.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Related News

05/28/2025

2025 Autism Acceptance Scholarship Winner: Layah Clinton

Honoring a Future Mental Health Advocate from North Carolina Lighthouse Autism Center is proud to announce Layah Clinton as the winner of the 2025 Autism Acceptance Scholarship. A dedicated psychology major at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Layah embodies a passion for mental health advocacy and a strong commitment to creating lasting change […]

Read more

05/15/2025

Lighthouse Autism Center Opens New Center in Hobart, Indiana!

ABA Therapy Center is Now Open in Hobart, Indiana Lighthouse Autism Center (LAC) is excited to announce the opening of a new center in Hobart, Indiana, on May 14, 2025. This marks another important milestone in our continued expansion, which now spans multiple states and supports hundreds of families across the country. What started as […]

Read more

04/14/2025

Lighthouse Autism Center Opens New Autism Therapy Center in Lincoln Indian Village, Nebraska

Lighthouse Autism Center has opened a second center in Lincoln, Nebraska Lighthouse Autism Center (LAC) is proud to announce that our second location in Lincoln, Nebraska, is officially open! Situated in the heart of the Lincoln Indian Village neighborhood, this new center reaffirms our commitment to providing high-quality autism therapy services to children and families […]

Read more
Translate »