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| Photo by Patja |
Recent autism news sites have announced what parents and educators throughout New York State have waited for: Governor Cuomo has finally signed A.8512 into law. So, what does this mean for students with autism and their families?
New York State became the 29th state to enact insurance reform. A.8512 is to date the most comprehensive autism insurance reform passed in the nation. As of November 1, 2012, families of children with autism, who also hold state regulated health plans, will begin to receive medically necessary coverage for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (Autism Speaks, 2011). Well, what is then covered?
Autism Speaks (2011) released a statement describing the services which will be included under A.8515. They are as follows:
- behavioral health treatment (such as applied behavior analysis)
- pharmacy care (if the policy covers other prescription drugs)
- psychiatric care
- psychological care
- therapeutic care, including non-restorative therapy (if the policy covers therapeutic care for other conditions) provided by licensed or certified speech therapists, occupational
- therapists, social workers, or physical therapists
- augmentative communication devices
- any other medical care provided by a licensed health care provider
This bill includes coverage for Applied Behavior Analysis, provided or supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The cap currently extends to $45,000 of allotted coverage per year, and holds no age limitations. The aim of A.8512 is to provide services outside of an educational setting, which are prescribed through a child’s physician or psychologist. For parents, this means they can begin to receive extra support in both home and community settings. Additionally, this bill does not affect any school related services already being provided through a student’s IFSP and IEP.
For more information, visit www.autismspeaks.com
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