A recent post discussed the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Here is a
release from the American Federation of Government Employees:
The American Federation of Government Employees lauds the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) recent announcement to have Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment for children with autism included in Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plans. For years, AFGE insisted that OPM recognize ABA as a clinically proven treatment for the medical condition of autism; however, OPM refused saying it was more an “educational” intervention than a medical treatment. Through AFGE’s efforts, beginning in 2013, 39 FEHBP plans in 22 states will offer some level of coverage for ABA. While this is a critical first step, it is short of the mandate in place in 31 states that requires private insurers to provide ABA coverage.
“OPM still has not required FEHBP plans to cover ABA. It has merely taken the important first step of allowing coverage,” said AFGE National President J. David Cox. “While we consider this an important victory, we still must do more to ensure that the parents of autistic children have all of the resources available to them to care for their children. Parents should not have to worry if vital services will be covered by their insurance plan.”
AFGE will continue to press OPM to require all plans to cover ABA on the same terms that they cover other therapeutic treatments for illnesses.
The following FEHBP plans will offer full or partial ABA coverage in the states listed below.
AZ Health Net Arizona
AR QualChoice
CA United Healthcare CA; Anthem Blue Cross Select HMO/CA; Blue Shield of CA Access + HMO
FL Capital Health; Coventry So FL; Humana Coverage First; Humana Inc
GA Humana Coverage First
IL Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois; Blue Preferred Plus POS; Humana Coverage First; Humana Benefit Plan IL; Humana Health Plan
IN Physicians Health Plan No Indiana
IA Coventry IA
KS Coventry KS; Humana Coverage First
KY Humana Coverage First; Humana Health Plan Inc
LA Coventry LA
PA Geisinger; Health America; UPMC Health Plan
MA Fallon Community Health Plan
MI Bluecare Network MI; Grand Valley; Health Alliance
MO Blue Preferred Plus POS; Humana Coverage First; Humana Health Plan Inc; United Healthcare of Midwest
NV Health Plan NV
NM Lovelace
NY Blue Choice; CDPHP Universal Benefits; Independent Health Association; MVP Health Care
TX Firstcare; Humana Coverage First; Humana Health Plan TX; United Healthcare of TX
VA Optima
WA Group Health
WI MercyCare
