The House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 2 took up a bill that would "clean up" some issues with last year's bill related to insurance coverage for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Delegate Mark Hunt, D-Kanawha and vice-chairman of the committee, gave a passionate speech on the House of Delegates floor imploring his colleagues to support the bill. Hunt's 13-year-old son is autistic.
"My son will never be self-sufficient," he said.
This year's bill, House Bill 4260, would clear up some issues the insurance companies had with the bill passed by both chambers of the Legislature last year. House Bill 2693, which Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed April 1 and went into effect July 1, required insurance coverage for children with autism. Before the bill was passed, many insurance companies did not extend coverage to Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, a commonly prescribed therapy to help children with autism. However, insurance companies took issue with HB 2693. Blue Cross/Blue Shield says children can receive ABA therapy from a board-certified specialist. According to Hunt, there is only one such therapist in West Virginia, located in Morgantown.
Hunt said he hopes HB 4260 will clear up these issues so autistic children can find the services they need.
"Statistics show us that only about 20 percent of children diagnosed with autism will never be self-sufficient," Hunt said. "Last year, this Legislature passed this bill about five times 100 to nothing. I think we sent a clear message to everyone, including the insurance industry, that we are not going to allow our West Virginia children with autism suffer any longer."
The bill passed last year provided two-tier coverage, offering birth to 12 coverage of $30,000 and adolescent to 18 coverage of $24,000. Hunt said younger children benefit more from ABA therapy. Most children are diagnosed with autism at an early age, and having extended benefits may help them in the long run.
"We can spend a little bit now and do the right thing to help our children, or we can wait until the end of life when parents like me are dead and put these children in institutions," Hunt said. "The right thing to do now is help these kids — help them become self-sufficient."
But Hunt implored the Legislature to act quickly on this issue, saying it is too late for some children to receive any benefits from ABA therapy.
"There's not a single child who's received a single benefit from what we've done last year," he said. "It's too late for my son, but there are other people's sons that we can still help. There are other people's sons that we can still make a difference in. While these children are burdened, we're fiddling."
The House Judiciary Committee adopted the bill unanimously. It will go to the Finance Committee before being reported to the full House.
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