Michigan December 2007: Michigan lawmakers are considering bills to require health insurers to cover autism services including occupational therapy, physical therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis.
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Michigan to Hold Hearing on Autism Insurance Legislation, from
Autism Bulletin*
Autism Insurance in Michigan blogOhio In 2007, the Ohio House took up a bill to prohibit health insurers from excluding insurance coverage for autism services.
See
Ohio House Takes up Autism Insurance Bill.
Text of House Bill 170 of the 2007-2008 session.Texas On May 30, 2007, the Texas Legislature sent a bill to the governor that would require health insurance plans to cover autism-related services for children aged 2 to 5. Gov. Rick Perry signed the bill on June 15.
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Texas governor signs autism insurance bill* News article about the
bill.
* Text of the bill, H.B. 1919,
here.
South Carolina In May 2007, South Carolina lawmakers passed a bill that would require health insurers to cover treatments for autism spectrum disorders through age 16.
Governor Mark Sanford vetoed the bill, but the Legislature overrode his veto to make the measure law.
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S.C. lawmakers override veto on autism insurance bill*
S. Carolina to pass autism insurance bill*
Text of S. Carolina bill May 2007Tennessee Tennessee law says that health insurance policies which includes benefits for neurological disorders, it must provide equal benefits to children with autism spectrum disorders until age 12, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesMaryland Maryland says that health insurance policies must cover habilitative services -- including occupational, physical and speech therapies for children born with a birth defect, including autism, up until they turn 19. The services are specifically not required to be reimbursed if they are provided through early intervention or school programs. This summary comes from a recent Connecticut
legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesKentucky Kentucky requires that health insurance plans must include coverage, including therapeutic, respite and rehabilitative care, for the treatment of autism from age 2 to 21, up to a ceiling of $500 per month per child. This information comes from a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesIndiana Indiana law says that health insurance policies must include coverage for pervasive developmental disorders including autism, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report. The report notes about Indiana law:
Coverage may not be subject to dollar limits, deductibles, co-payments, or coinsurance provisions that are less favorable to an insured than those that apply to physical illness. Insurers and HMOs cannot deny or refuse to issue coverage on, refuse to contract with, refuse to renew or reissue, or otherwise terminate or restrict coverage on an individual because of a pervasive developmental disorder diagnosis.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesGeorgia Georgia law says that if a health insurance policy includes benefits for neurological disorders, it can't deny benefits for autism-related services. This information comes from a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesMontana Montana requires insurers to provide coverage for autism-related services as they would services for other mental illnesses, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesVirginia Virginia requires insurers to cover autism-related services as they would other mental illnesses, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesNew Jersey New Jersey requires insurers to cover autism services as they would services for other mental illnesses, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesNew Hampshire New Hampshire law requires insurers to cover autism-related services as they would other forms of mental illness, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesMaine Maine law requires insurers to cover autism services on a par with other types of mental illness, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesLouisiana Louisiana law requires insurers to cover autism services on a par with other mental illnesses, according to a recent Connecticut legislative report.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesKansas Kansas law requires insurers to cover autism services the same as other mental illnesses, according to a Connecticut survey of state laws.
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States that have some autism-related insurance rulesKansas Autism Task Force Looks at Health Insurance IssueIowa Iowa law requires insurers cover autism-related services as they would any mental illness, according to a recent Connecticut legislative study.
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17 states require some autism insurance coverageIllinois Illinois law requires insurers to cover autism-related services as they would a mental illness, according to a recent Connecticut legislative study.
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17 states require some autism insurance coverageCalifornia In September 2007, a special California commission on autism issued a report that included recommendations for health care, education, community-based services and employment training. See a summary of the report on
Autism Bulletin by clicking
here.
California law requires health insurers to cover autism services as they would mental illnesses, according to a Connecticut study.
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17 states require some autism insurance coverageOregon The Oregon Legislature is considering a bill to require health insurers to cover some forms of autism.
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Copy of House bill 2918 of 2007Recent autism legislative news New Mexico In March 2007, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed a bill that calls for a state study of autism services and insurance coverage. The law derives from a proposal in the state Senate to prohibit health insurers from discriminating on coverage decisions based on an person's autism diagnosis.
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New Mexico to Study Autism ServicesNew Mexico Senate passes autism insurance billPennsylvania In 2007, the new House Speaker, who has an autistic nephew, has pushed for insurance coverage for kids with autism. The House and Senate passed separate bills that would require health insurers to cover autism services, but as of July 16, it was unclear whether either would become law this year.
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Pennsylvania House Passes Autism Insurance Bill*
Pennsylvania Governor Urges Passage of Autism Insurance Bill*
CDC director cites autism as major concern, and other news briefsNew York New York is one of the 17 states cited by a Connecticut survey of insurance rules that provide at least some coverage for autism-related services. There has been talk in the 2007 Assembly to increase existing coverage.
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17 states require some autism insurance coverageN.Y. bill would make insurers pay for autism servicesWisconsin In spring 2007, both the governor and Senate majority leader came out in support of legislation to mandate insurance coverage of autism-related services for children.
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Wisc. governor calls for autism coverageColorado In May 2007, Colorado passed a law to require health insurers to pay into an early intervention fund that would pay for services including autism-related services for children up to age 3. The state also passed a 1993 law that requires insurers to cover autism as they would other medical conditions.
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Colo. passes early intervention planConnecticut State insurance law covers autism as mental health issue, with capped benefits to age 3.
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Autism Bulletin articleConn. legislative report (2006)