Kansas

Kansas Autism News:

Autism Speaks Joins Kansas Parents and Autism Advocates In Denouncing Insurance Industry Claims

Coventry Insurance initiates a campaign of misinformation to prevent Kansas’ families’ access to healthcare coverage

NEW YORK, NY (April 20, 2009) – Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization, today asked Kansas legislators to admonish Coventry Health Care of Kansas for its deceptive tactics and absurd claims that attempt to disparage legislation that would end private insurance companies’ long-standing practice of discrimination against children with autism, and to resolve to support House Bill 2367, also known as Kate’s Law.

A recent release put out by Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc. to business owners in the state warned that passage of Kate’s Law “could force average premiums up as much as 2.5% to 3%”. However, the licensed Actuarial Consulting practice of Oliver Wyman, an international consulting firm, has put the actual increase at 0.76% per policy holder, far less than Coventry claims (view this report on www.AutismVotes.org). In releasing these numbers, Coventry provides no data and even dismisses their own industry’s findings. Specifically, the Council for Affordable Health Insurance’s (CAHI) March 2009 study found the following: “CAHI’s actuarial working team estimates that an autism mandate increases the cost of health insurance by about 1 percent”... Read more.

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Featured Kansas Headlines:

Autism Speaks Joins Kansas Families to Answer Legislator Questions Raised About Kate’s Law (February 20, 2009)

Kansas LEPC Recommends Passage of Kate's Law (November 21, 2008)

Summary of Kate's Law:

Senate Bill 12 "Kate's Law" - Introduced by the LEPC

House Bill 2367 - Sponsored by Representative Mike Peterson (D-37) and Representative Louis Ruiz (D-32)

• Requires private health insurance companies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder
  
  
• Coverage will be provided to individuals under the age of 21
  
  
• Coverage under this bill is subject to an inflation adjusted maximum benefit of $75,000 annually
  
  
• Small businesses (employers with 50 or fewer employees) may "opt out" of providing this coverage
  
  
• Coverage of treatments will be provided when prescribed, provided, or ordered for an individual diagnosed with autism by a licensed physician or a licensed psychologist who determines the care to be medically necessary
  
  
• The bill includes coverage of the following treatments: Diagnosis, Habilitative or rehabilitative care, Pharmacy care, Psychiatric care, Psychological care, Therapeutic care, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
  
  
• The bill applies only to fully-funded health plans governed by state