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The Maryland General Assembly is currently entertaining two bills HB 1091 and SB 1028, that would provide health insurance coverage of applied behavior analysis for those with autism spectrum disorders.
A hearing for the first bill, HB 1091, will occur in the House of Delegates’ Health and Government Operations Committee at 1:00 pm Thursday, March 11, 2010, House Office Building, 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401-1991.
Autism Votes has an action alert at their Facebook page for advocates for HB 1091 with a list of specific strategic actions that they would like taken on behalf of supporting the bill.
Please see their Facebook page for those details.
Maryland HB 1091: Health Insurance - Coverage of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Bill text
Introduced and read first time: February 17, 2010
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations Cross-filed bill, Senate Bill 1028: Health Insurance - Coverage of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Bill text
Introduced and read first time: February 25, 2010
Assigned to: Rules The synopses of both bills:
Requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders and treatment of autism spectrum disorders; requiring specified treatment of autism spectrum disorders to be prescribed and provided by specified individuals; clarifying that specified provisions of the Act may not be construed as limiting specified benefits otherwise available to an individual; prohibiting specified limits on visits to an autism services provider; etc. Both bills defines applied behavior analysis, include it under the treatment category of "habilitative or rehabilitative care" as prescribed by a licensed physician, psychologist, as provided for under the bills,
Applied behavior analysis would be provided by an individual
(1) Licensed under Title 14 [physician] or Title 18 [psychologist] of the Health Occupations Article, or under the supervision of an individual licensed under Title 14 or Title 18 of the Health Occupations Article; or
(2) A Board Certified Behavior Analyst or a Board Certified Associate [sic] Behavior Analyst credentialed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
For more information
Maryland House Bill 1091
Maryland Senate Bill 1028
Maryland General Assembly
Autism Votes Facebook page on the 3/11/10 hearing
Autism Votes Maryland
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Coffee, Bagels, and Autism Insurance Reform in Maryland
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
**Update 3/8/10 - Update: Another summing up of developments in North Carolina Battle of Words & Numbers: Autism Insurance
Posted on March 6, 2010 by momof3au
Autism Society of North Carolina Blog**
-------------------------------------
The North Carolina Joint Study Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety is currently deliberating feasibility of drafting insurance reform legislation to be submitted within the legislative session commencing May 12, 2010. This legislation would propose to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism, including applied behavior analysis.
At the most recent meeting on March 4, 2010 an actuarial cost estimate by the firm of Oliver Wyman was presented to the Committee by Marc Lambright, FSA, MAAA. Other presentations were made by Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, and the State Health Plan. The arguments of Blue Cross/Blue Shield turned on the nature of applied behavior analysis, which they argue are educational, not medical, and on their cost estimates which they believe are in the range of $2.37-$11.00/month/policy. The analysis by Oliver Wyman disagrees with those estimates, saying that real costs for states which have passed this type of coverage are more in the range of 0.4%/policy/month or $1/month.
Previous testimony on given to the Committee on February 3, 2010 was an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder by Dr. Rob Christian, Clinical Assistant Profession of Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities; a parent perspective by Bev Moore, Secretary of the Autism Society of North Carolina Board of Directors; insurance initiatives in other states and the cost-benefit of removing exclusion of coverage for autism treatment by Lorri Unumb, Senior Policy Advisor for Autism Speaks; and the experience as both a parent and a medical professional on the hardship of insurance loss upon autism diagnosis by Dr. David Kaylie, FACS, of the Duke University Medical Center.
For more information
Joint Study Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety (2009)
(Register for Meeting notices via email)
March 1, 2010
Actuarial Cost Estimate: North Carolina Draft Bill 2009-SQ-25 [v.1]:AN ACT TO REQUIRE HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS, INCLUDING THE STATE HEALTH PLAN FOR TEACHERS AND STATE EMPLOYEES, TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS.
Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting, Inc.
Prepared By:
Marc Lambright, FSA, MAAA
Found at Autism Votes North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions About the State Autism Insurance Reform Laws
Autism Votes
Autism insurance is debated
March 5, 2010
BY SARAH AVERY - Staff Writer
Autism Insurance Coverage Update
Posted on March 1, 2010 by dlaxton
Autism society of North Carolina Blog
Autism Insurance in North Carolina – first steps
Posted on February 3, 2010 by dlaxton
Autism society of North Carolina Blog
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
On March 3, 2010 a bill drafted by the the Education Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly was introduced and assigned to this Committee,
HB 5425: AN ACT CONCERNING SPECIAL EDUCATION
The status page for HB 5425 shows that a Public Hearing is scheduled for
Monday, March 8, 2010.
HB 5425 would address different issues related to special education, and includes a clause related to a provision of applied behavior analysis to students with autism diagnoses whose IEPs call for such, provider qualifications for those services and one mechanism to increase pool of providers.
The text relevant to the practice of behavior analysis can be found in Section 2.,
page 5, [lines 127-158] Text is reformatted for readability; please consult bill for original.
Start of clause,
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2010)
(a) On and after July 1, 2012, local and regional boards of education shall provide applied behavior analysis services to those students with autism spectrum disorder whose individualized education plan or plan pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires such services.
Such services shall be provided by a person who is - (1) subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, licensed by the Department of Public Health or certified by the Department of Education and such services are within the scope of practice of such license or certificate, or
- (2) certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board as a behavior analyst or assistant behavior analyst, provided such assistant behavior analyst is working under the supervision of a certified behavior analyst.
For purposes of this section, "applied behavior analysis" means the design, implementation and evaluation of environmental modifications, using behavioral stimuli and consequences, including the use of direct observation, measurement and functional analysis of the relationship between the environment and behavior, to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior.
(b) If the Commissioner of Education determines that there are insufficient certified personnel available to provide applied behavior analysis services in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may authorize the provision of such services by persons who:
- (1) Hold a bachelor's degree in a related field;
- (2) have completed
- (A) a minimum of nine credit hours of coursework from a course sequence approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, or
- (B) coursework that meets the eligibility requirement to sit for the board certified behavior analyst examination;
- (3) are supervised by a board certified behavior analyst.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the provision of applied behavior analysis services in an individualized education plan or plan pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
End of clause
-------------------------
Some recent events that provide additional background to H.B. 5425 is the January 13, 2010 submission of a report by the Connecticut Attorney General's Office to the Education Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly regarding the practice of behavior analysis within Connecticut schools, and the clauses in H.R. 5425 represent some of those recommendations.
Development of this report was specified and by 2009 Special Session passage of HB 6901,
now law as PA No. 09-1, as of 6/30/2009 stating,
"Sec. 12. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2009) On or before January 1, 2010, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Commissioners of Education and Higher Education, shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education on any investigation conducted regarding behavior analysis services for children with autism spectrum disorder performed in the state. Such report shall include any findings based on such investigation, recommendations for statutory changes and recommendations for an appropriate in-state certifying agency for behavioral analysis services." The Connecticut Education Law Blog provides some summary of the recommendations of the Attorney General's office.
For further reading and reference
Raised H.B. No. 5425 Session Year 2010
Bill Status
Bill text
State of Connecticut General Assemby
Legislative Action Center of the Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis
Regarding the Attorney General Office Report
AG's Office Issues Report to Education Committee Re: BCBA Certification
Posted on February 20, 2010 by Michelle C. Laubin
Connecticut Education Law Blog
Link to the "Behavior Analyst Report to Education Committee"
[The report referenced in the blog post]
Connecticut Center for Child Development Links page
OLR Bill Analysis HB 6901:Emergency Certification AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER EDUCATION ISSUES.SUMMARY:
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
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