Fast FAACt Friday: What 24 Cents Will Buy

Here in the US, debates about health care funding are ongoing. It’s a bit baffling that healthcare is considered to be a commodity rather than a right, but that’s a story for another venue. What we want to address here is the cost of AAC to insurers. Most people assume that insurance companies don’t cover AAC because it is enormously expensive to do so and would raise the costs of the premiums substantially.

Not so, according to Lew Golinker, of AAC Funding Help. He cites the work of a highly-respected actuarial firm, and reported the following: “On September 19, 2006, Milliman, Inc., one of the nation’s most respected health actuary consulting firms reported that the cost of covering SGDs in a typical commercial insurance policy or health benefits plan was at most 2 cents per member per month or 24 cents per member per year.”

Let’s say that again: 24 cents a year for each member of the plan. (At most!)

Does your plan cover SGDs? This is a good time to find out. If your plan doesn’t cover it, look on the back of your card for the toll-free number and make a call to ask for change in policy. 24 cents per person per year. It’s a prAACtical way to advocate for people with AAC needs throughout the county.