SB 244 Passed By Colorado Legislature – Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk

NEW YORK, NY (May 6, 2009) -- Colorado’s state legislature has passed Senate Bill 244, which requires insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies. The bill passed the Senate, following passage and amendment in the State House, and now heads to Governor Bill Ritter Jr.’s desk for signature into law.

Senate Bill 244 requires insurers to provide coverage for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, a recognized effective, evidence-based treatment for children with autism. The bill was sponsored by State Senator Brandon Shaffer (D-17) in the State Senate and was shepherded through the State House by Representative Dianne Primavera.

In many states, insurers explicitly exclude coverage of these therapies from policies, which places a significant financial burden on families seeking to provide their children with necessary services. Ten states – Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas – have enacted similar autism insurance reform bills. Nearly thirty state legislatures have introduced bills this year.

The passage of SB 244 through the legislature was the result of a grassroots advocacy effort involving hundreds of committed families with the support of local and national advocacy organizations.