California

California Autism News:

January 20 Update

AB.171 Voted Out of Assembly Appropriations Committee

SACRAMENTO, CA -- The Assembly Appropriations Committee yesterday voted AB.171 out of committee 12-5 and to the Assembly floor for a full vote.

Introduced in 2011 by Assemblyman Jim Beall (D-San Jose), the bill would end any remaining discrimination for health insurance coverage for occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and other medically necessary treatments for people with autism. A provision covering behavioral health treatments was deleted by the committee due to the enactment last year of SB.946.

Autism Speaks Develops FAQs on the New Autism Insurance Law

To help guide parents and health care consumers, the Government Relations staff has developed a Frequently Asked Questions document now available online here.

State Insurance Commissioner: Autism Benefits 'Long Overdue'

SACRAMENTO (Oct. 11, 2011) -- California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones applauded Governor Jerry Brown's signing of SB 946, the autism insurance reform bill, as "long overdue" recognition that behavioral treatments should be treated as covered medical benefits. The state Insurance Department took a leading role in arguing that behavioral intervention therapies, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), should be viewed as a mandated treatment under California's Mental Health Parity Act (Act). Read more...

LA Times' David Lazarus: 'Autism treatment law again shows insurers' need for therapy'

In a column and video in the Oct. 11 edition of the Los Angeles Times, columnist David Lazarus reacts to Gov. Brown's enactment of SB.946, the autism insurance reform billl.

"When I read that Monday, my first thought was: Why aren't such treatments already covered?" Read more...

Autism Speaks Hails Gov. Jerry Brown for Signing SB.946, Making California the 28th State to Enact Autism Insurance Reform

Coverage for Behavioral Health Treatments to Start July 1, 2012, Lead to Job Creation, Save Taxpayers $140 Million

NEW YORK, NY (October 9, 2011) – Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization, today hailed Gov. Jerry Brown for making California the 28^th state to enact autism insurance reform by signing SB.946, which will require coverage of proven behavioral treatment therapies starting in July 2012.

“Courage and common sense have prevailed as Governor Brown has chosen to side with California families and taxpayers, rather than the health insurance lobby,” said Autism Speaks Co-founder Bob Wright. “Autism Speaks singles out Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg whose unwavering leadership and commitment led to this success.”

The signing of SB.946 was announced during a Walk Now for Autism Speaks rally in Sacramento (right),  attended by 8,000 advocates who marched past the Statehouse.

Read more here.

Autism Speaks Commentary in Capitol Weekly Warns Insurers Want to Shift Costs to Taxpayers

SACRAMENTO (Oct. 6, 2011) -  Capitol Weekly today published  'Health insurers want taxpayers to pick up the tab for autism care,' a commentary by Peter Bell, Autism Speaks executive vice president for programs and services. The opinion piece was in response to assertions by the California Association of Health Plans that behavioral therapies, such as applied behavior analysis, should be provided by public schools at taxpayer expense rather than by trained medical professionals.

Los Angeles Times Endorses SB946: 'Gov. Jerry Brown Should Sign It'

LOS ANGELES (September 30, 2011) - California's largest daily newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, in an editorial published today urged Gov. Jerry Brown to sign SB.946, the autism insurance reform bill sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.

Read 'An autism treatment worth funding'

Autism Speaks Joins Sacramento Rally Urging Gov. Brown to Sign Steinberg Reform Bill

SACRAMENTO, CA (September 26, 2011) -- Autism Speaks joined with Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, other California autism organizations and families at a Statehouse rally today to urge Gov. Jerry Brown to sign SB.946, an autism insurance reform bill sponsored by Steinberg.

Read Senator Steinberg's release here 
View Coverage:
 KGO (ABC) San Francisco

Senate President Darrell Steinberg Organizes 2nd Rally Urging Gov. Brown to Sign SB 946

SACRAMENTO, CA (September 28, 2011) -- California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has announced a second rally in Berkeley on Friday, Sept. 30 to urge Governor Jerry Brown to sign SB 946, the autism insurance reform bill, following Monday's successful Statehouse rally in Sacramento.

The bill was passed in the final hours of the state legislative session on September 9 through the leadership of Senator Steinberg (right), Assembly Speaker John Perez and Assembly Member Jim Beall.

The Monday Statehouse rally was attended by Shelley Hendrix, Autism Speaks director of grassroots development (above.) 

Autism Speaks Hails California Legislature for Final Passage of Autism Insurance Bill, Urges Gov. Brown to Sign SB 946 into Law

Assembly, Senate Votes on Final Day of Legislative Session Offer Families Hope for Reform

NEW YORK, NY (September 9, 2011) – Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization, today applauded the California Legislature for approving an amended autism insurance reform bill, SB 946, on the final day of the legislative session and urged Gov. Jerry Brown to sign it into law. Read more.

Summary of Amended Autism Insurance Reform Bill:

Senate Bill 946

Not all insurers and health plans in California are subject to the bill. For those that are:

• Coverage must be available for treatment to "develop or restore, to the maximum extent practicable, the functioning of an individual with pervasive developmental disorder or autism"

• Treatment must be recommended by a licensed doctor or psychologist and provided under a treatment plan, which must be reviewed by the provider at least every six months

• Reimbursement must be made for the services of Board Certified Behavior Analysts, as well as the professionals and paraprofessionals whom they supervise

• Coverage for behavioral health treatment must be subject to no specific age limit or dollar cap

• The availability of insurance coverage does not reduce any obligation to provide services under an individualized education program or an individualized service plan

• Health plans and insurers must maintain an adequate network that includes qualified autism service providers 
  Autism Speaks Urges California Legislative Leaders for Fast Action on Autism Insurance Bill

Senate President Pro Tem Steinberg Offers the ‘Right Answer’ for California Families

NEW YORK, NY (August 17, 2011) – Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization, joined California families today in applauding Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg on his effort to amend legislation that would give families caring for children with autism access to insurance coverage for critical therapies. (Read Senator Steinberg's release.) Read more....

Autism Speaks Urges California Legislature to Follow Lead of 27 Other States, Act Quickly on Autism Insurance Reform Bill

NEW YORK, NY (July 15, 2011) – Action on an autism insurance reform bill before the California Legislature is more urgent than ever in the wake of a settlement the state reached with a major health plan which does little to improve coverage for families, Lorri Unumb, Esq., Autism Speaks’ vice president of state government affairs, said today. Read more...

Senate Select Committee on Autism Convenes Informational Hearing on Insurance Coverage

Autism Speaks' Lorri Unumb Discusses Impact of Federal Health Reform on Behavioral Intervention Therapy

NEW YORK, NY (July  13, 2011) – The California Senate Select Committee on Autism & Related Disorders, chaired by Senate President Darrell Steinberg, held a hearing today to hear expert testimony on autism insurance coverage and behavioral intervention therapy. Lorri Unumb, Esq., vice president for state government relations for Autism Speaks, addressed the impact of the new federal health care law on behavioral intervention therapy.

To view a video of the hearing, click here.
 For a copy of the agenda, click here.

Summary of Existing California Insurance Law:

Although existing law (AB 88) provides for mental health parity, in practice, health care service providers and insurers often deny coverage for autism and do not provide access to professionals with adequate training and expertise. 

In 2008, Senator Don Perata  proposed, and the state's Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism chose to support, legislation (Senate Bill 1563) to create an autism workgroup to review the autism and PDD-NOS guidelines adopted by the Department of Developmental Services, identify the existing gaps in insurance and health care coverage and submit recommendations to the legislature.

This bill was vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 27, 2008.

Governor's SB 1563 Veto Message:

To the Members of the California State Senate:

Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger