Oklahoma To Mandate Commercial Coverage Of Autism Services
On May 5, 2016, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed legislation to require commercial health plans and the state employee health plan to cover services for children diagnosed with autism, including applied behavior analysis (ABA). The mandate goes into effect for plans issued or renewed on or after November 1, 2016. The mandate ensures coverage of ABA for up to 25 hours per week for at least six years after diagnosis.
The enacting legislation, Oklahoma House Bill 2962 of 2016 to Require Insurers to Cover Services for Autism, notes that coverage for ABA shall include services delivered by a board-certified . . .