Comment on DOD_FRDOC_0001-3048

I believe that the idea of paying for ABA services for children with autism is a poorly thought out one. It seems to me that this blurring between medical and educational services will only serve to let school districts off the hook for services that they should provide. In addition, it will continue to drive up the health care budget for the military. The funding of ABA is habilitative and properly belongs under education and not under medical. Indeed, with the poor diagnostics involved in autism, this will further incentive pediatric physicians to give the diagnosis to children who more accurately would be diagnosed as learning impaired, mentally retarded, etc. to ensure that they get more educational services.