Live Insurance News

Idaho autism insurance reform in spotlight from advocate group

February 12, 2018February 9, 2018 Marc

This is one of only four states in the country without a mandate requiring coverage for those on the spectrum. A new Idaho insurance reform effort is underway as a result of an advocate group that wants to bring the state up to the national standard. There are only four states left in the country that do not require private insurance companies to provide autism treatment coverage. The new movement is designed to encourage reform in autism health insurance coverage. Over the weekend, advocates for Idaho autism insurance met in…

Four health insurance companies violated mental health coverage law

March 6, 2017March 3, 2017 Logan B.

The state of Oregon has accused four insurers in failing to cover certain treatments including one for autism. The state of Oregon is currently calculating potential fines for four health insurance companies that failed to comply with the law for covering certain mental health treatments, including one for autism. State law requires insurance companies to provide mental and physical coverage in a similar way. The regulation in Oregon states that health insurance companies “cannot categorically deny coverage,” for mental health care and therapies, such as for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA),…

Autism insurance mandate will ease financial burden of therapies

February 17, 2016February 16, 2016 Julie Campbell

The goal is to help to make the necessary treatments affordable for affected families. North Carolina Senator Tom Apodaca (R-Hendersonville) originally sponsored an autism insurance bill in the state, in order to produce legislation that resulted from negotiating with insurers that had previously been opposed to the efforts of Apodaca and other legislators, in their attempts to require coverage for treatment of this spectrum of disorders. Last year’s bill was supported by insurance companies, which were allowed to cap adaptive behavioral treatment. Adaptive behavioral treatment is a term that encompasses…

Health insurance provider hit with major fine in Missouri

May 22, 2015May 20, 2015 S.Vagus

Aetna faces $4.5 million fine for violating insurance laws in Missouri Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has announced that health insurance provider Aetna will be paying $4.5 million in fees for violating state law. One of these violations has to do with Aetna covering elective abortions even though some policies did not allow for such coverage. This represents the single largest insurance penalty imposed against a company in Missouri’s history. Notably, the health insurance company is holding itself accountable for any violations of state law, also acknowledging that it had violated…

Georgia governor likely to sign autism insurance bill

April 23, 2015April 22, 2015 Julie Campbell

Before April is through, it is expected that Nathan Deal will be adding his signature to the legislation. Senate Bill 1, an autism insurance bill, is among the hundreds of bills that are currently sitting on the desk of Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, and is among those that are expected to be signed before the end of the month. In this case, the insurance legislation will be called Ava’s Law, should it be passed, named after Ava Bullard. If it does become a part of the autism insurance law in…