Intermediate school districts in this state are now charged with providing accommodations for pupils with special needs including autism. A federal mental health parity bill adopted several years ago also requires treatment coverage for autism.
The Obamacare health bill adopted by Congress will also affect autism coverage.
So why would the state Senate want to lock a coverage mandate — which involves specific treatments — into state law now?
Autism is a complex condition and medicine's understanding of it is rapidly changing.
A state coverage mandate introduces unknowns into the state insurance market, which is itself in flux because of changing federal law.
The House version was opposed by most business groups. But it was also opposed by the Michigan AFL-CIO and the UAW on the grounds that they want to be able to bargain their health care coverage options.
It simply isn't good policy to adopt this legislation now and the Senate shouldn't go forward with it.
