More on Colorado Autism Insurance Case: Q&A with Tappert Family's Lawyer

R. Craig Ewing is managing partner at Ewing & Ewing, the Englewood, Colorado law firm which represented the Tappert family, who recently won an arbitration case for their health insurer to cover autism-related services for their young daughter Abby. Mr. Ewing last month agreed to respond to some questions I sent him via e-mail.

You can read more about the case in this article: Colorado Family Wins Insurance for Autism Services. A related article cited in the transcript below is here: After Colorado Arbitrator's Decision, More Information About Lovaas Model of Applied Behavior Analysis.

A key issue in this case was that the arbitrator's finding that Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is not an experimental therapy, but in fact an early intervention best practice for children with autism spectrum disorders—and a service the insurer should cover. With advocates around the nation seeking to win support for legislation expanding such insurance coverage, Mr. Ewing suggests this arbitration decision could shed some light on what it takes to win support from organizations who may seek to deny such benefits.

The following is a transcript of his responses to questions:


1. How important is the arbitrator's decision?

We believe that the arbitrator's decision is quite important in that it recognizes that ABA therapy is medically necessary when children with autism engage in self-injurious behaviors. We also believe that it casts doubt on many other insurer's medical policies (also known as clinical guidelines) that equate all forms of ABA therapy with "Lovaas therapy."

I note with interest the letter from Scott Cross and Vincent J. LaMarca, BCBA on your website [see the letter here]. The arbiter's comments regarding Lovaas therapy are based upon the expert testimony of Dr. Phillip S. Strain and his review of Anthem's medical policy. I am attaching Dr. Strain's affidavit as well as Anthem's medical policy for your review. As you will note in reviewing the same, Anthem (as well as many other insurers) deem ABA therapy to be experimental and investigational because of the scientific criticisms of Dr. Lovaas' research. Thus, it is important to distinguish pivotal response training and other forms of ABA therapy from "Lovaas therapy" in order to defeat the rationale advanced by many insurers.'

To the extent it is not confidential, I am very interested in sharing the information I gleaned through discovery on the Tappert case with Mr. Cross, Mr. LaMarca and others at the Lovaas Institute for the purposes of working with them to rebut the position taken with respect to Lovaas therapy by many insurers/third party administrators in the United States.

I am also enclosing United Healthcare's medical policy. As you will note, it relies on the criticisms of Dr. Lovaas' research as a basis for deeming all forms of ABA therapy "experimental and investigational."

2. How far-reaching might the Tappert's victory be?

The Tappert's victory opens the door for coverage for ABA therapy of the type Abby Tappert receives for Colorado residents who purchased the Anthem policy at issue. This is a major breakthrough for this subset of people.

While the Arbitration Award (opinion) is not direct legal authority in the same sense that a decision from the Colorado Court of Appeals or Colorado Supreme Court would be, it is written by William G. Meyer, a highly respected former Denver District Court judge. The opinion is thoughtful and well reasoned and no doubt it will be used by attorneys to support their clients' claims for autism coverage.

In his opinion Judge Meyer's states: "It appears both from the greater weight of the references and credible testimony that ABA therapy is the standard of care in treating autism." This statement should resonate with any judge or fact finder who confronts these issues.

3. What role did Colorado state law play in your advocating this case on behalf of the Tapperts? How does the law as it stands now in Colorado help or hinder your efforts?

The fact that the Tappert policy was not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ["ERISA"] made the case easier with respect to the standard of review employed by the arbiter. In terms of Colorado state law, Colorado's common law that requires ambiguous terms of an insurance policy to be interpreted in favor of coverage was helpful in this case.

4. Have you been following developments in other states, notably South Carolina and Texas, that have sought to pass legislation to require insurers to cover ABA and other autism-related services? There are other states which are considering similar moves, and I am wondering if this arbitration decision gives advocates of autism services coverage any points they may use to argue in favor of their efforts?

Since becoming involved in this case, I have become very interested in the legislation regarding autism in other states. Given that approximately 1 in 150 children have been diagnosed with autism, funding for treatment must be addressed. It is my opinion that a neutral [party]'s recognition that ABA therapy is the standard of care for the treatment of children with autism may be useful to others seeking to enact legislation to require insurers to cover this expensive, but much needed treatment. I am hopeful that with more decisions recognizing the efficacy of ABA therapy, legislators will be more inclined to find ways to fund this treatment.

One last note: Mr. Ewing declined to say for publication on this blog whether he saw how insurers who study the Tappert case might try to bolster their efforts to deny coverage of ABA or other autism services.