The Committee amendment for KY HB 159 was unanimously passed in the Kentucky House by a vote of 97-0 and now proceeds to the KY Senate. Passage of this bill would create a separate licensing board for Behavior Analysts in addition to the insurance coverage. See the Kentucky Legislature and past blog posts for more info on KY HB 159.
In Kansas, it was reported that an "autism insurance bill" was passed in Committee today and that this approval was also unanimous, although there is no corroborating news stories at present. It appears that the bill in question is a Senate Substitute in the nature of a reconciliation bill of the original HB 2160 and SB 554.
Senate Substitute for HB 2160: An act concerning insurance; providing coverage for autism spectrum disorder; amending K.S.A. 2009 Supp. 75-6501 and repealing the existing section.S Sub for HB 2160 has been in the Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance in addition to SB 554. The note at the Kansas legislature is "3/16/2010 S Committee report: Substitute be passed by Financial Institutions and Insurance", and the
Anticipated End of Debate Calendar March 17, 2010 shows,
"S Sub for HB 2160, An act concerning insurance; providing coverage for autism spectrum disorder; amending K.S.A. 2009 Supp. 75-6501 and repealing the existing section.S sub for HB 2160 defines applied behavior analysis, and notes conditions of service provider reimbursement as follows,
Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance (Financial Institutions and Insurance) (Be passed)"
Reimbursement shall be allowed only for services provided by
- a provider licensed, trained and qualified to provide such services
- or by an autism specialist [includes BCBAs with experience and other state conditions]
- or an intensive individual service provider [individuals who work under the direction of an autism specialist]
S Sub for HB 2160 bears similarity to SB 554 in that it would be a limited implementation of an insurance mandate restricted to the State health care benefits program, and would require the Health Care Commission,
pursuant to the requirements of the Insurance Code regarding mandated health insurance benefits, to submit on or before March 1, 2012, a report to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report is to include information pertaining to the mandated ASD benefit coverage provided during the 2011 Plan Year.
The information would include:
- The impact that the mandated coverage has had on the State health care benefits program;
- Data on the utilization of coverage for autism spectrum disorder by covered individuals and the cost of providing such coverage; and,
- A recommendation on whether such mandated coverage should continue for the State health care benefits program.
For further info
Kentucky
Kentucky.gov Bill Watch
Record of HB 159 at Kentucky Legislature
Kentucky Legislature
Autism Votes Kentucky
Kansas
Text of S Sub HB 2160
Fiscal note
Supplemental note on Senate Substitute for HB 2160.
Kansas Legislature
Kansas Early Autism Services
Past blog posts
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
State legislation - Kentucky HB 159/CS autism insurance and licensing of behavior analysts scheduled for House Floor on Tuesday March 16, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
State legislation - Kansas SB 554, autism insurance bill anticipated for a committee vote on March 11, 2010
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
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