Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires health insurers, health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autistic children from age 2 to 6, subject to an annual maximum benefit of $35,000, beginning January 1, 2011.

Highlights:

-Exempts health coverage offered to employees of state or local government and their dependents from the requirement until July 1, 2015 (Sec. 1). -Prohibits an insurer from terminating or denying coverage to an individual because of an autism diagnosis or treatment (Sec. 1). -Authorizes health insurers, health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organizations to request a review of autism treatments not more than once a year, with costs covered by the policy (Sec. 1). -Prohibits coverage from being subject to visit limits or be different or separate from coverage of any other illness, condition, or disorder for the purpose of deductibles, lifetime dollar limits, copayment and coinsurance factors, and benefit year maximum for deductibles and copayment and coinsurance factors (Sec. 1). -Exempts the following from the requirement (Sec. 1):

-Short-term travel, accident only, limited, or specified disease policies; -Short-term nonrenewable policies of not more than six months' duration; -Policies, contracts, or plans issued in the individual market or small group markets to employers with 50 or fewer employees; or -Policies or contracts designed for persons eligible for coverage under Medicare, or any other similar coverage under state or federal governmental plans.

-Exempts for 1 year health insurers, health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organizations from being required to cover habilitative or rehabilitative care for autism not covered as of December 31, 2010, if an actuary certifies in writing to the Commissioner of Insurance that costs of coverage exceed 1 percent of the premiums charged, and would raise average premiums by more than 1 percent (Sec. 1). -Authorizes health insurers, health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organizations to continue to be exempt from the requirement for additional years if the above requirement for exemption is still met (Sec. 1). -This is a substitute bill sponsored by the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor.

Full Bill Text