June 24th, 2008

Legislation that would mandate private health insurance coverage of autism services was passed unanimously by the state House last year, but has now been stalled in a Senate committee for the past 11 months.  Sponsored by Speaker of the House Dennis O’Brien (R-Phila.), the bill’s time is running out: If it doesn’t get passed before General Assembly session ends in November, it will have to be introduced all over again.

Reports the Intelligencer Journal:

“Currently, major providers in Pennsylvania deny coverage for critical treatments like speech therapy and applied behavioral analysis. They say such treatments lack measurable achievements over time.”

Visit the Intelligencer online to get further details on why insurance companies currently fail to provide autism coverage, the state Department of Public Welfare’s role in the issue, and points of view from those on both sides of the issue; including a family with a 14-year-old boy suffering from autism.