Two years on, little awareness on state’s insurance on autistic children

Coimbatore: When machine operator, Solaimani and his wife, Shanthi, were first informed that their seven-year-old second daughter suffered from autism spectrum disorder and that she needed intensive therapy, their first worry was the cost. Being a daily wage labourer, Solai earns Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 a month. Luckily, they found a centre who offered subsidized daily therapy at Rs 2,000 a month.
Not all poor families with autistic children are that lucky or aware. With most centres charging Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 a month for therapy which includes occupational, behavioural and speech therapy and special education, most poor families start therapy but drop out early due to unaffordability. Sensing the need for assisting the families, the state government launched the chief minister’s comprehensive health insurance scheme covering autistic children. But nearly two years after the scheme was launched, there is little awareness about the benefits. In whole of Coimbatore district, only 12 autistic children have benefited so far out of the scheme, while scores of other children are left to shell huge sums for the therapy.

“Among the 12 children, mostly from poor backgrounds, a few had stopped therapy due to unaffordability. They returned to the sessions once they were informed that it would be free under the insurance scheme,” says Anadhi, occupational therapist at Global Occupational Therapy clinic in Pollachi. The numbers are meagre considering that almost one in every 100 children, under 10 years of age, suffer a degree of autism spectrum disorder in India, according to a study.

Since its launch in 2017, the health insurance scheme offers up to Rs 1 lakh a year to access all therapies needed for autism management. They reimburse Rs 5,000 for every 40 sessions of therapy, including behavioural, speech and occupational.

Yet another reason for poor reach of the insurance scheme is low number of autism therapy centres. In Coimbatore district, only three centres have been approved by Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project to provide autism therapy—Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, Global Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy clinic and Vidya Vikasini School Coimbatore. While CMCH is yet to start providing occupational therapy, Global Occupational Therapy has 12 of its children covered under the scheme. Vidya Vikasini School is in the process of getting 21 children registered.

There are multiple early intervention centres in the city dealing with anywhere between 15 to more than 50 children. It is not just lack of awareness among parents but even among the centres that is reason for the scheme’s lag. “We got to know about it only nine months back when there was meeting of occupational therapy association members. The government or insurance companies should take steps to popularise the insurance scheme and speed up the approval process,’’ said an occupational therapist.

Kala Rajagopal, occupational therapist at The Mind, who had applied six months back said that they are yet to get the approval. Right now, The Mind offers subsidized therapy at Rs 2,000 a month for the needy. “If the children are brought under the insurance scheme, they need not spend even that,’’ she said