Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina-regulated health insurance plans would be required to cover autism diagnosis and treatment under legislation that has support from a number of advocacy groups and now most state senators.
The Senate voted 47-1 Tuesday to back the insurance mandate. The agreement was hammered out by several medical organizations, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, the state's largest insurer. The bill does allow insurers to limit treatment to patients under 18 years old and set a coverage ceiling of $40,000 per year.
The requirement would cover a range of services, and not just one kind of therapy as a 2013 House bill required.
One national group — Autism Speaks — has not endorsed the measure and wants changes made in the House, the bill's next stop.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
