On the recordNovember 29, 2012
I thank my colleagues for their statements of support for meeting the needs of the children who do suffer from autism and other developmental disorders, and I do appreciate and believe their sincerity in wanting to make sure they are covered with the treatments they need. I think we can work together to reform the TRICARE system. It is one that has not had the kind of reform it needs. But this is just an authorization for 1 year to meet the needs of these kids now because I don't want to wait until we figure it out and figure out the rest of the program. In addition, we did have a hearing. We had scientists and doctors and those who are medical professionals come to testify in front of the Armed Services subcommittee. Through that testimony we established that the only reason the DOD wasn't covering this was because they believed it was an educational program. And what we established and what the medical literature says is that it is actually a medically necessary treatment in the same way you would give a child who is sick a medicine. I want to address the needs of these kids now. I will commit to working with the Senators to reforming TRICARE so we can actually pay for programs over the long term and reform it in a way that is consistent with the benefits our troops so desperately need.
