Signed by Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorders.

Highlights:

-Defines mandatory coverage provisions, wherein it states the inclusion of early intervention services and treatment for autism spectrum disorders (Sec. 2). -Defines "autism service provider," "autism spectrum disorder," "health benefit plan," "applied behavior analysis," and "treatment plan" (Sec. 3). -Requires that as of July 1, 2010, all health benefit plans issued or renewed in the state must provide coverage for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (Sec. 3). -Sets the annual maximum benefit to not exceed $34,000 for children between the ages of 0-8 and $12,000 for children between the ages of 9-18 (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass a bill that requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorders.

Highlights:

-Defines mandatory coverage provisions, wherein it states the inclusion of early intervention services and treatment for autism spectrum disorders (Sec. 2). -Defines "autism service provider," "autism spectrum disorder," "health benefit plan," "applied behavior analysis," and "treatment plan" (Sec. 3). -Requires that as of July 1, 2010, all health benefit plans issued or renewed in the states must provide coverage for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (Sec. 3). -Sets the annual maximum benefit to not exceed $34,000 for children between the ages of 0-8 and $12,000 for children between the ages of 9-18 (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires all health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2010 to provide coverage for the assessment, treatment, and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders.

Highlights:

-Establishes the following maximum benefit amounts for the assessment, treatment, and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders depending on age (Sec. 3): -$65,000 for individuals at birth through age 10; -$20,000 for individuals age 11 through 21; and -$15,000 for individuals age 21 or older. -Specifies that medical services that are required to be covered must be medically necessary, appropriate, effective, or efficient, and includes, but is not limited to, the following (Sec. 3): -Evaluation and assessment services; -Behavior training, behavior management, and behavior analysis, including consultations, direct care, supervision, treatment, or any combination thereof provided by autism services providers; -Habilitative and Rehabilitative care, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, or any combination thereof; -Pharmacy care and medication, if covered by the health benefit plan; -Psychiatric care; -Psychological care, including family counseling; and -Therapeutic care. -Specifies that autism spectrum disorders include autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder, and atypical autism as a diagnosis within pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, as defined in the most recent edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, at the time of the diagnosis (Sec. 3). -Prohibits health insurance carriers from refusing to provide coverage to individuals because they were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text