Hawaii Mandate Bill
A Wednesday release from Autism Speaks:
Autism Speaks today endorsed SB.2054, the 2014 Hawaii autism insurance reform bill which, if enacted, would make Hawaii the 35th state to require many health plans to cover applied behavior analysis (ABA) and other therapies for autism.
Introduced by Senators Josh Green, who chairs the Senate Health Committee, Suzanne Chun Oakland and Russell Ruderman, the bill is similar to a measure that passed both houses of the Legislature last year, but then failed to clear conference committee. SB.2054 would require state-regulated health plans to cover up to $50,000 a year for the screening, diagnosis and evidence-based treatment of autism up to age 21.
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In addition to ABA treatment, the bill would require coverage for autism-related psychiatric, psychological, pharmaceutical and therapeutic care, such as speech, occupational and physical therapy.
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Minnesota, Oregon and the District of Columbia enacted reform laws last year; bills this year will be considered in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and other states.
