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April 29, 2009
Missouri Senate passes bill to require insurance coverage for autism diagnosis, treatment
The AP (4/24, Logan) reports that the Missouri Senate voted "29-2 to pass legislation requiring "group health insurance plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism for children younger than 18, beginning in 2010."
The bill would require coverage for a controversial and "costly type of treatment known as 'applied behavioral analysis,' up to "$55,000 annually."
Notably, in the "past two years, six states -- Texas, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana -- passed laws requiring coverage of behavior therapy for autism." Supporters say the bill would save them from "loads of debt to treat their autistic children." They cite "an actuarial study conducted by an autism advocacy group that said the bill would increase insurance premiums by less than 1 percent. But the insurance industry has said the legislation could cause a greater than 3-percent premium increase."
The bill requires coverage under "most small-and-large group insurance plans, except those regulated by the federal government. Individual healthcare plans would have to offer the autism coverage as an option." The bill now "goes to the House."
Posted by admin at April 29, 2009 05:43 PM