New York State

The bills propose amendments to the Insurance Law to provide coverage in every policy, group policy, and/or medical indemnity, hospital service or health service corporation, for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.  They further provide that treatment of autism spectrum disorders shall include psychiatric care, including direct, consultative and diagnostic services; habilitative or rehabilitative care; pediatric and developmental pediatric care; anesthesiological care and anesthetic services; neurological care; gastroenterogical care; endocrinological care, including behavioral, speech, occupational and physical therapies as well as social skills education training.

Historically, autism has been misidentified as a psychiatric disorder, and has been excluded from coverage by health insurance carriers.  New York State Insurance Law was significantly changed in 2006, by requiring insurers to provide all medical services to people with autism that would be provided to people without autism.  This law has helped ameliorate the problem, but it does not specify health care services specific to the treatment and diagnosis of autism.

Please support A.6888-B and S.6123 by contacting your local representatives, Assemblymember Koon and Senator Huntley.

• Assemblyman Koon 518) 455-5784; Address: Legislative Office Building, Room 643, Albany, New York 12248.
• Senator Shirley Huntley 518) 455-3531; Fax: (518) 426-6859; Address: Legislative Office Building, Room 803, Albany, New York 12248.
• Your own Assembly Member.  To find your Assembly member, call (518) 455-4100 or go to www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
• Your own State Senator.  To find your State Senator, call (518) 455-2800 or go to www.nysenate.gov.