medicare's orphans

The Tragedy of Canada's Autism Treatment Neglect: a leading psychologist speaks

I just watched a fascinating, sixteen minute interview with a very well-respected Canadian psychologist -- Dr. Glen Davies -- who weighs in on a variety of issues pertaining to autism, including the rise in diagnoses, the efficacy of ABA as the treatment for autism through the lifespan and what happens when people with autism are not provided effective treatment. Dr. Davies discusses the fact that children with autism in Canada have been thoroughly abandoned by the health care system for their core health need, which of course is autism treatment. He provides valuable, sober advice to policy makers. This is definitely an interview worth watching!

When the fox guards the chicken coop: A review of the film "Medicare's Orphans"

Now that the new documentary film about Canada’s abject failure in autism health care has been released, I’d like to share some thoughts about the precedent setting film in the world of autism advocacy: Medicare’s Orphans.

Many films about autism understandably focus in on the miserable lives of children with autism. This can sometimes be hard to watch.
Medicare’s Orphans is not that kind of film.

The documentary chronicles the protracted battle to include children with autism in the Canadian health care system. It’s a strange juxtaposition to watch since in the United States, the debate lately has been about creating a health care system where everyone is covered. In contrast, Canada already has a supposed
universal health care system, yet this is a story about the systematic exclusion of the one group that is shut out of health care -- children afflicted with autism.

How strange! There is a group of Canadians who don’t get health care coverage for their core health need -- autism! I guess that’s what happens when the fox guards the chicken coop, when the health care system and the government are one in the same. When government is the health insurance provider, it apparently does a lousy job of holding itself to account where a lack of autism treatment coverage is concerned.

The film describes the amazing lengths to which Canadian parents have gone to right this wrong. It shows the important successes in the courts, and the failure of the legal system at the highest level -- the Supreme Court of Canada. The filmmakers take us on a journey from coast to coast, meeting courageous parents and their children with autism. We are introduced to one parent who actually walked 286 miles in the harsh Canadian winter to Ottawa to plead his case and raise awareness of this horrendous injustice.

We are heartened by the successes of children who were fortunate enough to receive treatment because, in some cases, their parents forfeited everything to fund the treatment. In one case, we meet a woman who has rented out every room in her home to pay for autism treatment. We are also angered and disgusted by the complete failure of the Canadian health care system, which lands one child in the psychiatric unit of an Ontario hospital.

Through all this, the message is clear. The film acts as a call to action!

Those who live in the United States need to wake up every morning and appreciate the fact that in the U.S., children with autism enjoy the protection of the
Americans with Disability Act, the Individuals with Disability Education Act, the Mental Health Parity Act and the States’ Autism Mandates that are being passed daily, the most recent one in the State of New York, marking the 29th state that now legally requires insurance companies to cover the cost of effective autism treatment.

Let’s hope that
Medicare’s Orphans will so thoroughly embarrass the Canadian government that it finally does something about its hypocrisy. Canada claims to be a light unto nations where universal health coverage is concerned, yet it does precisely the opposite by excluding a whole class of its citizens from healthcare - kids with autism.

Visit their website to learn more about the
Medicare for Autism Now! movement.

The film "Medicare's Orphans" released today!

Screen shot 2011-11-01 at 12.19.44 PM

The long awaited film, Medicare’s Orphans was released today! The documentary chronicles the plight of children with autism in Canada, who are systematically excluded from Canada’s purportedly universal health care system.

I will provide an in depth review of this essential film in the coming days, but in the meantime, I invite you to watch this forty-two minute documentary that will change the way you look at the rights of children with autism forever. Due to the important nature of this topic to the autism community world-wide, access is currently provided free of charge.

To view the film, click on the screen below:


Medicare's Orphans. from MedicareForAutismNow on Vimeo.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Canada


"The war that our own government is waging against our children is not over..."

Jean Lewis,
“Medicare’s Orphans”


I
have previously discussed the important Canadian documentary film produced by the autism treatment advocacy organization, Medicare For Autism Now! In the most recent trailer released, Jean Lewis and David Marley, co-founders of Medicare for Autism Now!, discuss the long-running autism wars in British Columbia; they lay Canada bare. Read more...

Medicare's Orphans: Fourth Trailer Available for Viewing

The organization, Medicare for Autism Now has just released its fourth trailer for the film Medicare’s Orphans. It is so powerful -- a must watch!!!! Read more...

Medicare's Orphans: An Interview with the Producer, Jean Lewis

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Jean Lewis, founder of Medicare for Autism Now!, and producer of the exciting film, Medicare’s Orphans, to be released in October 26th, 2011. Read more...

Finally, an "Inconvenient Truth" for Autism!


I just found out about a new film that is going to be fascinating viewing! The group just released the first of four trailers advertising their upcoming documentary,
Medicare's Orphans, which is scheduled for release in mid-September.  I watched the trailer, and checked out their website and am waiting eagerly for the film to be released! Here’s trailer number one to whet your appetite! Read more...