Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation requiring health insurers to cover services related to autism.
Cuomo signed the legislation on Nov. 1 that requires health insurance providers to offer coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder for both children and adults.
Cuomo said the legislation should help families afford expensive health-care costs related to treating individuals with autistic disorders.
“When it comes to autism, early diagnosis and treatment is essential, and it is inexcusable that financial constraints would stand in the way of a brighter future for those affected by this disorder,” he said. “This bill opens the door to families seeking earlier treatment and better results.
Previously, state law only required that insurance coverage not exclude the diagnosis and treatment of autism disorder. While some health insurers provide limited coverage for ASD treatment, such as vitamins or occupational therapy, most do not offer coverage for treatments that are deemed not medically necessary.
The law allows up to $45,000 a year in treatments with no limits on age or number of visits. Autism Speaks, an advocacy group, said a fiscal analysis it commissioned found the new law could save New York taxpayers $13 million over six years by reducing Medicaid, early intervention, special education and other costs.
The state Legislature approved the bill unanimously in June. New York is now the 29th state to require the coverage, which goes into effect Nov. 1, 2012 and applies to all insurance policies issued or renewed after that date. This is the second life for the law. A previous version of the legislation, criticized by autism advocacy groups, was vetoed by former Gov. David Paterson in August 2010.
Katie Weisman, secretary of the Autism Action Network, said the law also acknowledges that autism is a medical condition and not just a psychiatric condition.
“I have seen firsthand how effective treatment can be,” she said. “My children have grown leaps and bounds through both medical treatment and intensive educational support. It is important that all the individuals and families affected by autism be able to afford the care they so desperately need.”
Drury writes for Buffalo Business First, an affiliated publication.