States w/ mandatory insurance coverage for ASD therapies?

[wendy1221]

Does anyone know where I can find a list? Or do you know if MD and/or PA, NJ are one of them? Thanks!

[sbgrace]

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/rpt/2006-R-0793.htm I found this site which mentions Maryland.

http://www.insurancehelpforautism.com/ But this site is similar and includes New Jersey at a broader level though not specific to autism like Maryland and Indiana.

Other States: Based on the report INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR AUTISM by Janet L. Kaminski, Associate Legislative Attorney in CT, "Sixteen other states (besides CT) have insurance laws relating to autism coverage (California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia). Of these, 10 require coverage for autism through their laws mandating coverage for mental illness (California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Virginia). The other six states have specific laws regarding insurance coverage for autism (Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, and Tennessee)." Most recently, Oregon gained full parity this year.

[Kodama]

Even if you have full parity, you may still have a fight on your hands.

[wendy1221]

YAY! Thank you! I can't handle the fight if I know I'm right and will win for sure in the end.

[mamaverdi]

You mean you CAN handle it?

In TX, "mandatory" laws can be excluded for "private" insurance simply by the company purchasing "private" insurance. Caveat emptor.

[wendy1221]

Originally Posted by mamaverdi

You mean you CAN handle it?

In TX, "mandatory" laws can be excluded for "private" insurance simply by the company purchasing "private" insurance. Caveat emptor.

lol. Yeah, I mean can. And since dh will be working for the government, I doubt they can do that.

[i0lanthe]

Originally Posted by wendy1221

Does anyone know where I can find a list? Or do you know if MD and/or PA, NJ are one of them? Thanks!

PA has a loophole law that gets people coverage via medical assistance (result, department of public welfare is a wee bit swamped I think.) There is an insurance coverage bill that passed the state House but then in the house Senate it has basically been sent to the council in charge of killing insurance bills - more details here, http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_551788.html
http://www.hb1150.org/

[heatherdeg]

NJ is supposed to be one of the states. I say "supposed to be" because I'm not sure how useful it is--we have yet to try using it, but the day is drawing near. I just looked into it enough to know that we're one of "the states".

Of course, I think we also have the highest autism rate in the country (as a state).

[heatherdeg]

Okay, I found the info. NJ has a case that went to Supreme Court where a family fought for the state employee's insurance to cover ABA for their autistic child and they won.

So we don't have legislation dictating it, but we have case law setting precedent for it. This is a GREAT site for information with a map you can click on for state-by-state info:

http://autismbulletin.blogspot.com/2...insurance.html

HTH

[wendy1221]

Thanks, Heather!

ANd thanks everyone else who replied!

We're pretty sure we're moving to MD in August, since dh has a definite job there, but that could change if he finds a better job at his conference in May.