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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tony DeLuca |
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House and Senate pass autism insurance bill to protect children, save lives
HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, said he is pleased legislation (H.B. 1150) that would require insurance companies in Pennsylvania to cover autism services for children under 21 has passed the House of Representatives.
Under the legislation, private health insurance companies would begin to help cover the costs of autism services, which currently are provided mainly under Medical Assistance. Medical Assistance will remain a safety net.
DeLuca, majority chairman of the House Insurance Committee, and state Rep. Nicholas Micozzie, R-Delaware, minority chairman, said the bill's passage in the House and Senate is a victory for families with children who have autism.
"As majority chairman of the Insurance Committee, with the help of Representative Micozzie, I was able to shepherd a key piece of legislation to provide insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders and today we achieved success in our efforts to get the bill passed in the House and Senate," DeLuca said.
"We were proud to play a role in this worthy effort," he said. "Under the new standards, kids with autism will continue to receive the services they need to move forward and to prevent them from slipping back."
The bill also includes insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screening for people under 50 who are at high risk for the disease, as well as a provision allowing two insurance companies to merge in order to establish better rate standards and health-related procedures and practices.
"This legislation will not only protect young children with autism, but also provide insurance coverage for people under age 50 who can now get tested for a disease they may not even know they have," Micozzie said.
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CONTACT: Roseann R. Cadau |