New Jersey Autism News:
Governor Jon Corzine Signs Autism Reform Bill in New Jersey
State Becomes Fifteenth in the Nation to Enact Autism Insurance Reform
Trenton, NJ (August 13, 2009) -- Autism Speaks joined New Jersey families and other autism advocacy organizations in applauding Governor Jon Corzine today for signing the autism insurance reform bill, S. 1651/A. 2238, into law. New Jersey is the fifteenth state to enact legislation which requires insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies. Attendees cheer on Governor Corzine as he signs the insurance reform bill The New Jersey bill requires insurers to cover up to $36,000 annually for a child with autism that is 21 years of age or younger. Coverage includes Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, which is recognized as an effective, evidence-based treatment for children with autism.
 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. Fourteen other states – Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas – have passed similar autism insurance reform bills. Nearly thirty states had bills introduced in their legislatures this year.
A.2238 was sponsored by Speaker Joseph Roberts, Assemblywoman Joan Voss and Assemblyman Vincent Prieto. S.1651 was sponsored by state Senator Joseph Vitale. Hundreds of parents, advocates and their children attended the emotional bill-signing ceremony at Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick.
"I'm proud of this,'' Corzine told the crowd before signing the bill." This is one of those things that will make a difference, not just for today and tomorrow but for long into the future.''
 Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, who championed the bill, agreed. He said the new law "mandates that health insurers do the right thing.'' Autism Speaks New Jersey Chapter Advocacy Chair, Christine Bakter, who is the mother of two sons on the autism spectrum, spoke about her personal struggles prior to introducing Governor Corzine at the ceremony.
"I can honestly say that eight years into this journey, I'm really, really tired of fighting and I thank both Governor Corzine and Speaker Roberts for doing the right thing for our families today. I look forward to knowing that we have options and I will not have to choose which child will get treatment. We've been paying for this coverage all along."
Bakter's sons, Alex and Ben, celebrated with the Governor as he signed the bill into law.
Picture 1 above: Attendees cheer on Governor Corzine as he signs the insurance reform bill
Picture 2 above: NJ Chapter Advocacy Chair Christine Bakter and her son Alex, holding the pen that Governor Corzine used to sign the bill
Quotes from NJ State Legislators on the Enactment of Autism Insurance Reform:
Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. (D-Camden) - “Today is really the great missing piece that has yet to be confronted – to mandate that health insurers do the right thing."
"The behavioral therapy will be for autistic children because that’s frankly what suits their needs best, but this will provide speech and occupational and physical therapy for autistic children and kids with all kinds of developmental disabilities because it’s been shown to be very, very effective."
“It’s just long overdue and it’s absolutely something that they should be doing.”
“Now that we accomplished this today, with the governor’s signature of this bill, we will have taken the final step to show that we really care about New Jerseyans with developmental disabilities who have access to speech, physical and occupational therapy, and New Jerseyans on the autism spectrum who will have the kind of early intervention therapy that can really transform their lives.”
Assemblywoman Joan M. Voss (D-Bergen) - “This is a very personal issue for me. My son has Asperger’s syndrome, and so this is a very personal thing for me because I never want other parents to go through what I went through when my son was young.”
Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) - “We heard testimony that some of these folks have poured their mortgages, their other children’s college funds, into being able to put these children through therapy.”
VIDEO: Footage from the May 18 hearings
Featured New Jersey Headlines:
Autism Speaks Joins the New Jersey Autism Community In Applauding State Senate Passage Of Autism Insurance Reform Legislation (June 18, 2009)
Autism Insurance Bill Moving Forward in New Jersey (June 6, 2008)
Summary of NJ Autism Insurance Reform Bills:
A. 2238 - Sponsored by Assemblyman Vincent Prieto
S. 1651 - Sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale
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Requires health insurers to provide health benefits coverage for expenses incurred for certain treatments when prescribed as medically necessary by the covered person's physician upon a diagnosis of autism
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Coverage will be provided to an individual with autism until the age of 21
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Covered treatments include physical therapy, speech therapy, occupations therapy, and evidence-based behavioral interventions
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Coverage of evidence-based behavioral interventions is subject to a maximum of $36,000 per year
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This bill applies to group health insurance plans governed by state law, Small employer health plans, and the State Health Benefits Program
> Download a one-page summary (PDF)
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