House Bill 0093
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 93
By Representative Crow
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to health insurance coverage
3 for autism spectrum disorder; requiring a
4 health insurer or health maintenance
5 organization that offers major medical coverage
6 to include coverage for treating autism
7 spectrum disorder; defining the term "autism
8 spectrum disorder"; authorizing an insurer or
9 health maintenance organization to confirm a
10 diagnosis or review the appropriateness of a
11 treatment plan; providing that the act does not
12 affect the licensure of a health care
13 professional or impair the right to
14 reimbursement of a health care provider;
15 providing a legislative finding; providing an
16 effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Health insurance coverage for autism
21 spectrum disorder.--
22 (1)(a) As used in this section, the term "autism
23 spectrum disorder" is a neurobiological condition that
24 includes autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett's syndrome, or
25 pervasive developmental disorder, as those disorders occur in
26 various degrees of severity.
27 (b) Any health insurer or health maintenance
28 organization that issues major medical expense coverage in
29 this state may not exclude coverage prescribed by the
30 referring physician for the treatment of autism spectrum
31 disorder, including, but not limited to, coverage for
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 93
568-153A-00
1 therapeutic evaluations and interventions, such as speech
2 therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, intensive
3 early intervention, applied behavioral analysis, and Lovaas
4 behavioral therapy.
5 (2) Coverage for autism spectrum disorder is subject
6 to the same terms and conditions that the insurer or health
7 maintenance organization applies to the treatment of other
8 disorders. However, an insurer or health maintenance
9 organization may confirm a diagnosis or review the
10 appropriateness of a specific treatment plan in order to
11 ensure that coverage under this section is limited to
12 diagnostic and treatment services.
13 (3) This section does not affect the scope of
14 licensure of any health care professional and does not impair
15 any right to reimbursement which is otherwise guaranteed to a
16 health care provider.
17 Section 2. The Legislature finds that the provisions
18 of this bill fulfill an important state interest.
19 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
20
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22 HOUSE SUMMARY
23 Requires that a health insurer or health maintenance
organization include coverage for autism spectrum
24 disorder as part of the coverage for major medical
expenses. Requires that such coverage include coverage
25 for certain types of evaluations and interventions.
Provides that the insurer or health maintenance
26 organization may confirm a diagnosis or review the
appropriateness of treatment. Provides that the act does
27 not affect the scope of a health care professional's
licensure or impair a health care provider's right to
28 reimbursement.
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31
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