Oregon Orders Insurers To Cover Mental Health & Autism Treatment, Issues Guidance On Parity Requirements

On November 14, 2014, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Insurance Division issued two bulletins clarifying that insurers must cover treatment of autism and other mental health conditions, just as insurers cover treatment for physical health conditions. The bulletins take effect retroactively to Aug. 8, 2014, the same day the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon ruled that Providence must pay for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy as a treatment for autism.

In a letter to insurers issued the same day as the bulletins, Insurance Commissioner Laura Cali said, "Recent court decisions have made it . . .