In February, Congressmen Chris Smith and Henry Cuellar introduced the Autism CARES Act of 2024 (see;H.R. 7213: Autism CARES Act Of 2024). The bill proposes allocating over $2 billion over the next five years towards programs focused on autism research, services, and training for health care professionals. ;;;

The focus on autism is not surprising. Over the past decade, the prevalence of autism has grown to 28 in 1,000 children (see Data & Statistics On Autism Spectrum Disorder). The average annual cost of autism treatment services ranges somewhere between $5,500 and $12,000 . . .

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Autism & I/DD

Intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are a physical and/or cognitive impairments that occur before the age of 22. Autism spectrum disorder is generally considered a type of developmental disability that affects behaviour and communication. The autism and I/DD market provides supports and health care services to these populations. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the changes and challenges affecting I/DD and autism markets—the move to managed care and value-based care, the shift away from residential treatment, the increasing emphasis on consumer-directed care, and new workforce challenges.


About 90% of children with autism in Chile have at least one medical comorbidity. More than half had insomnia (61%) or were overweight (52%). About 28% had allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis, and 27% had constipation. Researchers analyzed a retrospective chart review of 544 children diagnosed with autism between 2015 and 2023 at a specialized pediatric neurodevelopmental center in Chile. The children’s comorbid medical conditions were identified through standardized caregiver interviews, clinical examination, body measurements,… Read