Previous posts described a class action suit in Oregon.
From the law firm of Stoll Berne (including a link to the ruling itself):
On August 8, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon issued a ruling in favor of Stoll Berne's clients, two plaintiffs representing a class of people with autism seeking coverage of ABA Therapy. The Court's ruling found that Providence's practice of denying coverage of ABA Therapy under a "developmental disability exclusion" violates state and federal law.
Keith Dubanevich, Joshua Ross and Nadine Gartner represent plaintiffs and the class in this matter.
At Oregon Public Broadcasting, Kristian Foden-Vencil reports:
Providence is not the only company to fight coverage of ABA therapy.
Paul Terdal has two boys diagnosed with autism. He helped more than a dozen families successfully appeal coverage denials by Kaiser Permanente a few years ago. Kaiser subsequently agreed to cover ABA therapy.
Terdal said that the Providence ruling is “absolutely fantastic. I mean it is, we’ve been making all of these arguments all along for several years and to have it come out in a solid, well done legal opinion by a U.S. District Court Judge that is basically confirming all you’ve been saying is just amazing.”
Earlier this year, a federal judge in Seattle ruled that Regence Blue Shield violated state law by not covering therapies for autistic children older than six.
