Ohio State Employee Benefits

A release from the Governor of Ohio:

State of Ohio employees and their families with autism will be able to receive treatment as part of their employee health insurance benefits beginning July 1, 2013. The announcement today is a result of Governor John R. Kasich’s pledge late last year to make autism benefits available to State of Ohio employees, and negotiations recently concluded with state employees’ unions to revise the contractually-negotiated employee health plan. Ohio Department of Administrative Services Director Bob Blair, in cooperation with Joint Health Care Committee (JHCC) Co-chairs Kelly L. Phillips and Michael J. D’Arcy, solidified the language used in the contract earlier this week.
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Beginning at the start of the next fiscal year, state employees and their dependents will receive access to quality healthcare for ASD including physical, speech and occupational therapy, clinical therapeutic intervention, and mental and behavioral health outpatient services.
Autism services are being defined as part of the “essential health benefit” package offered through the state employees’ health plan, some private health insurance and health insurance sold through the upcoming federally managed health insurance exchange.