Iowa

Iowa Autism News:

Iowa Becomes the 19th State to Enact Autism Insurance Reform

Autism Speaks Pledges to Keep Working to Expand Coverage

NEW YORK, NY (April 30, 2010) -- Autism Speaks joined Iowa families and other autism advocacy organizations in applauding Governor Chet Culver yesterday for signing the Standing Appropriations Bill, HF 2531, which includes an amendment requiring the state health insurance plan to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies, such as applied behavior analysis, for state employees. Enactment of this amendment marks the first step in bringing about statewide reform of the private insurance market and ending insurance discrimination against all individuals with autism.

The law includes a $36,000 annual cap on treatments for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) up to age 21 that are enrolled in the health insurance plan for state employees.

“Autism Speaks applauds Governor Culver’s enactment of HF 2531, which includes a provision that will extend a helping hand to the families of state employees,” said Peter Bell, Autism Speaks executive vice president of programs and services. “Our hope is that this pilot project will create a solid foundation from which to expand coverage in the next legislative session to the greater population of families that have been financially devastated by the lack of insurance coverage for necessary autism therapies.”

Representatives Mark Kuhn and Christopher Rants helped push the amendment through the House. The amendment was modeled after SF 2349, which was sponsored by State Senator Daryl Beall and was passed by the Senate earlier this month. Senator Beall is the grandfather of a child with autism.

“Including coverage of autism in state insurance plans will now serve as the gold standard that all insurance plans, both private and public, should live up to,” said Josh Cobbs, Autism Speaks Iowa Chapter Advocacy Chair, Chairperson of the Iowa Autism Council, and father of a child with autism. “Advocates from throughout Iowa worked tirelessly and with this passage their voices were heard. This is not the end, but rather the start of getting autism treatment to all Iowans in need.”

Featured Iowa Headlines:

Autism Speaks Joins the Iowa Autism Community In Applauding State Senate Members For Passing Autism Insurance Reform Legislation (February 23, 2010)

Autism Speaks Endorses Iowa Autism Insurance Reform Bill (February 19, 2009)

Summary of the Autism Insurance Reform law:

• Requires the state employees health plan to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders for state employees and their families
  
  
• Coverage will be provided to individuals under the age of 21
  
  
• Coverage under this bill is subject to an inflation adjusted maximum benefit of $36,000 annually
  
  
• Coverage of treatments will be provided  when prescribed, provided, or ordered for an individual diagnosed with autism by a licensed physician, a licensed psychologist, a licensed social worker, or a licensed registered nurse practitioner 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 calls for the commissioner, in consultation with the board of medicine, to adopt rules providing for the certification of behavior specialists
  
  
• The bill applies only to state employee health care plans 
  
  
• If passed, these bills will go into effect on January 1, 2010