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Medicaid coverage for Texas children with autism… The Texas state legislative session has begun, along with our advocacy efforts to ensure autism coverage for Texas children on Medicaid! An estimated 80,000 Medicaid-enrolled Texas children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. However, most …
Texas Medicaid adds future coverage for autism… Update as of July 15, 2021: Due to COVID-19, the implementation of coverage for autism services was delayed. The benefit implementation date has been confirmed for February 1, 2022. On June 15, Governor Greg Abbott signed a budget bill which included a requirement for Texas Medicaid to cover medically necessary care, including applied behavior analysis (ABA), for all Texas Medicaid-enrolled …
Navigating Disability Benefits Applications… benefits applications, we hope you can join us! Please be sure to register at the link below to receive the webinar information. Join us for an overview of navigating developmental disability benefits applications, presented by Anna Maki, Director of Benefits Navigation at the Bobby Dodd Institute. Social Security, Medicaid and its waiver programs can be difficult to understand, and applying for coverage can be a confusing process for many to navigate. We will be sharing information around the different types of …
New Mexico passes landmark legislation for autism insurance coverage… legislation. Joined by members of the autism community, Governor Lujan Grisham signed House Bill 322 which expands coverage for autism therapies to transition-age youth and adults with autism covered by private, state-regulated health benefit plans as well as Medicaid. New Mexico has set a new precedent by creating a statutory requirement for Medicaid coverage of autism therapies, …
Autism Speaks honors Texas State Representative Donna Howard for advocacy on behalf of autism community… Autism Speaks was proud to present State Representative Donna Howard with our 2023 Public Service Award for her unwavering support and advocacy on behalf of the autism community in Texas. The award was bestowed upon … during the past legislative session to improve access to autism services for children, teens and young adults under Texas Medicaid. Historically a champion for the autism community, Representative Howard’s advocacy continued during the 2023 Texas … diagnosed with ASD, timely access to evidence-based treatments, including ABA, is crucial. Unfortunately, the path to coverage under Medicaid for ABA services in Texas has been challenging. In June of 2019, Governor Abbott signed a budget …
Advocating for those with severe, intense and challenging behaviors… landscape of autism advocacy and reignite our collective action. Joined by experts and leaders in the field, including my former colleague Judith Ursitti, we dove into groundbreaking strategies for those with autism who need it most. In this … response training and emergency protocols, and developing alert systems for the dangerous instances of elopement. State Medicaid Services State Medicaid plans and waivers provide state specific approaches to address challenging behaviors and … impactful in access to care and services. Healthcare Services: Regardless of how generous your state is in their healthcare coverage, ever since 2014 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has required coverage of all medically necessary care …
2022 Advocacy Highlights… together with advocates across the country, our team works to protect the rights of autistic individuals and advocate for investments in autism programs that pay dividends for our community. Throughout this year, we pursued policy solutions … $30 million in funding for the Autism Research Program at the Department of Defense Texas became the 50th state to require coverage of applied behavior analysis therapy for autistic children enrolled in Medicaid, while states across the country took steps to improve the implementation of coverage for autism services under …
Alabama Governor signs autism insurance reform bill… Autism Speaks joins the Autism Society of Alabama in applauding Governor Kay Ivey for signing into law House Bill 284 , which requires certain health benefit plans to cover medically necessary treatment for … analysis (ABA). Governor Ivey signed HB 284 on Friday, May 19, 2017, making Alabama the 46th state to require meaningful coverage for the treatment of autism. Sponsored by Representative Jim Patterson and Senator Tom Whatley, the bill faced … Alabama’s obligation under Federal law to provide medically necessary treatment for autism under the EPSDT benefit of Medicaid. Autism Speaks estimates that the terms of coverage in HB 284 will apply to nearly 1 million Alabamians. … …
Autism Speaks representative appointed to National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Consumer Liaison group… Government Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy Kelly Headrick was recently named as a 2022 consumer liaison representative for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). In this role, Ms. Headrick will give voice to issues with coverage for autism services and mental health parity experienced by consumers of health insurance in the autism community. … state-regulated health plans. And as recently as this week, we celebrated Texas becoming the 50 th state to implement its Medicaid autism services benefit which provides coverage for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy when medically …
Pennsylvania removes insurance barriers for autism spectrum disorder… Unnecessary barriers to insurance coverage of autism benefits have historically persisted in Pennsylvania despite federal law and state precedent for the coverage of autism services. Starting in 2024, over 55,000 Pennsylvanians with autism will now benefit from … Governor Josh Shapiro’s Press Release Health Insurance Coverage of Autism Pennsylvania State-Regulated Insurance Coverage Medicaid Coverage of Autism Become an autism advocate! … Governor Shapiro Administration Makes Clear that Autism Services …