Therapy room at Lighthouse Autism Center with toys on a table with blue chairs and book shelves above

Clinical Corner Spring 2018

Anthem Insurance Cos. Inc. will pay almost $1.63 million to end
claims that it violated federal benefit laws by placing certain
caps on the coverage of therapy treatments for children with
severe autism disorders.

Anthem also agrees to stop using guidelines that base coverage
of applied behavior analysis therapy for autism solely on an
individual’s age, according to a motion seeking approval of a
class action settlement filed March 23 in the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of Indiana.

If approved, the settlement will provide relief for at least 201
children and allow class counsel to seek fees of up to $508,345.
The estimated average payment to class members will be
$5,052, with payments ranging from $2.02 to more than $36,000,
according to court documents.

The proposed deal would end a three-year lawsuit that accused the insurance giant of violating federal mental health parity law when it limited coverage for a 13-year-old boy’s autism treatment to 20 hours per week. The settlement comes one year after a federal judge held that Anthem satisfied Indiana’s autism mandate, which requires insurers to cover treatment for autism spectrum disorder, by covering 20 weekly hours of treatment instead of the 40 hours requested. Anthem joins a growing list of companies that have settled claims over coverage of ABA therapy for autism, including United Healthcare Services Inc., T-Mobile USA Inc., and Applied Materials Inc.

To read the full article, please visit https://bit.ly/2Een9XG

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Related News

A dentist wearing a uniform with superhero print and a child in a dental chair wearing sunglasses for a checkup

08/13/2025

ABA Therapy Tips for Taking Your Autistic Child to the Dentist

Taking Your Autistic Child to the Dentist For any child, and even adults, a trip to the dentist can often be filled with anxiety, fear, and discomfort. For a autistic child, especially, these feelings can be even further heightened by sensitivities to noise, smell, and touch. To make this experience better for both the child […]

Read more
A young boy with blonde hair sitting in a cardboard box.

08/13/2025

Tips for House Hunting with Your Child on the Spectrum

Guidance for Families with Children with Autism when Moving Moving is always a stressful and complicated endeavor. But when you have a child on the autism spectrum, the thought of packing up your household and moving somewhere new can seem like a near-impossible task. Parents often worry that their children will get overwhelmed by this […]

Read more
A close-up shot of a left side and wheel of a red trike and a child sat on it riding over crushed leaves on the ground.

08/12/2025

Special Needs Bikes, Trikes and Trailers: Enjoying Bike Riding with Your Child

Special Needs Bikes, Trikes and Trailers: Enjoying Bike Riding with Your Child It is that time of year when things start to heat up, and everyone begins looking for fun activities to do outdoors. A favorite pastime for many families in search of fun and connection in the fresh air is bike riding. For children […]

Read more
Translate »