NY Gov. Pataki signs Autism Health Insurance Parity Law

[Guest guest]

Yesterday New York Governor Pataki signed a new law that will require

health Insurance companies regulated by the State of New York to provide the

same health care procedures to people with an autism spectrum diagnosis that

would be provided to people with other diagnoses. The bill will help correct the

long-standing practice by health insurers of denying necessary health care to

people with autism.

The bill also defines autism spectrum disorders as " neurobiological

disorders. " This definition is important becuse some health insurance companies

have claimed that autism is a mental health disorder and therefore not covered.

Health insurance companies have used a variety of excuses to deny health care

to people with autism.

The bill came to fruition after a four-year battle. The bill was conceived by

Marty Schwartzmann, and Baumann, who is President of New York Families

for Autistic Children. Both are fathers of sons with autism and both are

residents of Queens. Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer of Queens introduced the

legislation in the Assembly and Senator Fuschillo of Nassau County

introduced the bill in the Senate.

A coaliton of every autism-related membership organization in the state came

together to press the bill as the top legislative priority of the community.

" This just goes to show what parents of kids with autism can achieve if we pull

together as team, " said Gilmore, a boardmember of ACHAMP and an organizer

of the coalition.

Similar legislation is being developed for Congress to stop discrimination by

insurance companies regulated under federal law.

The group that supported the measure include:

ACHAMP, Advocates for Children’s Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning

AHA/AS/PDD

AutismConcepts.com

Autism Society of America, Albany

Autism Society of America, Brooklyn

Autism Society of America, Bronx

Autism Society of America, Central New York

Autism Society of America, Fulton/Montgomery

Autism Society of America, Hudson Valley

Autism Society of America, Nassau/Suffolk

Autism Society of America, Manhattan

Autism Society of America, Queens

Autism Society of America, Western New York

Autism Speaks

Central New York, Families for Effective Autism Treatment

Cure Autism Now

Disability News Radio

FAIR Autism Media

Generation Rescue

GRASP, Global and Regional Asperger’s Syndrome Partnership

National Autism Association, National

National Autism Association, Central New York

National Autism Association, Long Island

National Autism Association, New York Metro

New York Families for Autistic Children

SafeMinds, Sensible Action For Ending Mercury-Induced Neurological Disorders

Schafer Autism Report

The Autism Autoimmunity Project

Unlocking Autism

UNYFEAT, Upstate New York Families for Effective Autism Treatment

[Guest guest]

Congratulations , on such a top notch job pulling together the

coalition effort and getting the legislation passed and signed! The

folks of Nu Yawk are lucky to have such a great advocate.

lenny

>

> Yesterday New York Governor Pataki signed a new law that will

require health Insurance companies regulated by the State of New York

to provide the same health care procedures to people with an autism

spectrum diagnosis that would be provided to people with other

diagnoses. The bill will help correct the long-standing practice by

health insurers of denying necessary health care to people with autism.

[Guest guest]

-YES!! All that letter writing I did helped !!!

-- In , " Cochran "

<Ladyshrink111@...> wrote:

>

> GO NEW YORK!

>

> [ ] NY Gov. Pataki signs Autism Health

Insurance Parity Law

>

>

> Yesterday New York Governor Pataki signed a new law that

will require health Insurance companies regulated by the State of

New York to provide the same health care procedures to people with

an autism spectrum diagnosis that would be provided to people with

other diagnoses. The bill will help correct the long-standing

practice by health insurers of denying necessary health care to

people with autism.

>

> The bill also defines autism spectrum disorders

as " neurobiological disorders. " This definition is important becuse

some health insurance companies have claimed that autism is a mental

health disorder and therefore not covered.

>

> Health insurance companies have used a variety of excuses to

deny health care to people with autism.

>

> The bill came to fruition after a four-year battle. The bill was

conceived by Marty Schwartzmann, and Baumann, who is

President of New York Families for Autistic Children. Both are

fathers of sons with autism and both are residents of Queens.

Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer of Queens introduced the legislation

in the Assembly and Senator Fuschillo of Nassau County

introduced the bill in the Senate.

>

> A coaliton of every autism-related membership organization in

the state came together to press the bill as the top legislative

priority of the community. " This just goes to show what parents of

kids with autism can achieve if we pull together as team, " said

Gilmore, a boardmember of ACHAMP and an organizer of the coalition.

>

> Similar legislation is being developed for Congress to stop

discrimination by insurance companies regulated under federal law.

>

> The group that supported the measure include:

>

>

> ACHAMP, Advocates for Children's Health Affected by Mercury

Poisoning

> AHA/AS/PDD

> AutismConcepts.com

> Autism Society of America, Albany

> Autism Society of America, Brooklyn

> Autism Society of America, Bronx

> Autism Society of America, Central New York

> Autism Society of America, Fulton/Montgomery

> Autism Society of America, Hudson Valley

> Autism Society of America, Nassau/Suffolk

> Autism Society of America, Manhattan

> Autism Society of America, Queens

> Autism Society of America, Western New York

> Autism Speaks

> Central New York, Families for Effective Autism Treatment

> Cure Autism Now

> Disability News Radio

> FAIR Autism Media

> Generation Rescue

> GRASP, Global and Regional Asperger's Syndrome Partnership

> National Autism Association, National

> National Autism Association, Central New York

> National Autism Association, Long Island

> National Autism Association, New York Metro

> New York Families for Autistic Children

> SafeMinds, Sensible Action For Ending Mercury-Induced

Neurological Disorders

> Schafer Autism Report

> The Autism Autoimmunity Project

> Unlocking Autism

> UNYFEAT, Upstate New York Families for Effective Autism

Treatment

>

>

>