Below is an excerpt from a recent white paper authored by Manatt Health and supported by Celebrate Dyslexia. Click here to read the full paper and recommendations.
Dyslexia is a neurobiological disorder affecting up to one in five children, including over 80% of those with learning disabilities. Despite its widespread prevalence, many children are not properly screened or tested and often miss out on evidence-based interventions to address the associated challenges. For those that do receive a proper and timely diagnosis, treatment options are often difficult to navigate, unaffordable, and out of reach, leading to poor educational outcomes and increased likelihood of unemployment and criminal justice involvement. In California alone, the estimated societal cost of dyslexia was estimated to be $12 billion in 2020 and $1 trillion over the next 60 years.
Immediate action is required to ensure that children with dyslexia receive the comprehensive services and supports they need. Dyslexia must be recognized as a medical condition, with screening, testing, and treatment fully integrated into our health care system and covered by public and private health insurance, rather than being limited to the domain of educational and self-pay services.
To address resource gaps and improve access to dyslexia screening, testing, and treatment services (“dyslexia services”), advocates should collaborate with relevant stakeholders to:
- Increase Public Awareness. Educate communities and policymakers about the prevalence and impact of dyslexia, including the benefits of early diagnosis and intervention.
- Update Diagnosis Codes. Advocate for the modernization of ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for dyslexia to align with current scientific understanding.
- Push for USPSTF Recommendations. Advocate for the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to assess the evidence and develop recommendations for early childhood dyslexia screening during primary care visits.
- Seek CMS Clarification. Engage with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to clarify guidelines on Medicaid coverage for dyslexia services, including under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit.
- Advocate for State Coverage Mandates. Engage in targeted state advocacy to expand requirements for insurance coverage of dyslexia services.
These actions will help ensure that children with dyslexia receive the care and resources essential to their success, benefiting not only children and their families, but society as a whole.