#35: Utah Enacts Autism Insurance Reform
SALT LAKE CITY (April 3, 2014) — — Gov. Gary Herbert today signed legislation making Utah the 35th state to enact autism insurance reform. Utah has one of the nation’s highest rates of prevalence for autism at 1 in 54, or about 2 percent of the state population.
Sen. Brian Shiozawa (at the podium) and Governor Herbert
Sponsored by Sen. Brian Shiozowa, the bill (SB.57) was fiercely opposed by the insurance industry. The enactment of the law culminated six years of effort by the Utah Autism Coalition, providers and families to end insurance company discrimination against people with autism.
“Autism Speaks commends Senator Brian Shiozawa for his leadership in delivering for the Utah autism community,” said Mike Wasmer, Autism Speaks’ associate director of state government affairs. “The Utah Autism Coalition has fought hard to make this day happen and we were proud to be their partner.”
The law requires many state-regulated health plans to cover speech, occupational and physical therapy, psychological and psychiatric care, and behavioral health treatments, including applied behavior analysis (ABA).
The original article was posted on Autism Speaks website here https://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/35-utah-enacts-autism-insurance-reform
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