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Posted by Melissa Hincha-Ownby Jul 3, 2008 |
According to a press release issued by AutismLink, “the Pennsylvania legislature voted nearly unanimously in the affirmative for House Bill 1150 to mandate commercial insurance companies to cover some services for children with autism.” The bill, which was introduced by House Speaker Dennis M. O’Brien, will mandate that insurance companies provide up to $36,000 of coverage for certain autism treatments for children through the age of 21.
The bill did not pass through the House without some controversy. Autism Speaks, one of the nation’s most vocal autism organizations, hired their own lobbyists to work with Pennsylvania representatives. According to the AutismLink press release, the lobbyists “made several back-door concessions on the bill without the consent of Speaker O'Brien.”
The Autism Society of America as well as AutismLink and other Pennsylvania-based autism organizations rallied behind the Speaker to support his original bill which ultimately passed. Pennsylvania isn’t the first state to introduce legislation mandating insurance companies to cover autism spectrum disorders.
Earlier in 2008, I reported how my home state of Arizona passed an autism insurance bill which will go in effect in July 2009. The Arizona bill allows for up to $50,000 of coverage annually through age nine and then $25,000 through age 16.
The problem with autism coverage comes when insurance companies state that autism is an educational concern and thus school districts should be responsible for providing therapy. Many insurance policies directly state that no coverage will be provided for autism spectrum therapies or treatments. As more states adopt mandate insurance coverage for autism, more children will be able to get the assistance they need regardless of their parents’ financial resources.
Source: AutismLink