Arizona

Summary of Arizona Legislation

Steven's Law -

• Signed into law by Governor Napolitano on March 21, 2008
• Becomes effective on June 30, 2009
  
  
• SB 1263 - Sponsored by State Senator Amanda Aguirre (D-24)
• HB 2847 - Sponsored by State Representative Bill Konopnicki 
• Prohibits private insurers from:
  • Excluding or denying coverage for a treatment, including diagnosis, assessment and services based solely on the diagnosis of ASD,
  • Imposing dollar limits, deductibles or coinsurance provisions based solely on the diagnosis of ASD,
  • Excluding or denying coverage for medically necessary behavioral therapy services
• Requires behavioral therapy services to be provided or supervised by a licensed or certified provider in order to be eligible for coverage
• Stipulates that coverage for ASD is subject to all the terms and conditions of the contract, policy or evidence of coverage.
• Allows the insurer to impose deductibles, coinsurance or other cost sharing on the coverage
• Limits coverage for behavioral therapy to:
  • a $50,000 maximum benefit per year for an eligible person up to the age of nine
  • a $25,000 maximum benefit per year for an eligible person who is between the ages of nine and 16
• Exempts the following from these requirements: 
  • Individual or small employer contracts, policies or evidences of coverage
  • Limited benefit coverage
  • Long-term care insurance, life insurance and annuities offered by a group disability insurer
  • Services provided outside of Arizona.

Arizona News

Autism Speaks Joins the Arizona Autism Community in Hailing Governor Janet Napolitano and State Legislators for Enacting Autism Insurance Legislation

(NEW YORK, NY- March 21, 2008) Autism Speaks today joined Arizona families and other autism advocacy organizations in applauding Governor Janet Napolitano and the state's legislators for enacting House Bill 2847, which will require insurance carriers to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies. 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. Autism Speaks has launched a multi-state initiative to address this discrimination. 

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