NEVADA Health Insurance : broad autism coverage mandate : EasyToInsureME

NEVADA Health Insurance : This month, Nevada is poised to become the eleventh state to pass a broad autism coverage mandate. The measure would require all group policies to cover autism-related services and therapies starting on January 1, 2011. Individual policies would be required to offer a benefit rider to cover those same services. The health care industry was successful in reducing the scope of the mandate to include a $36,000 annual benefit cap, gaining recognition that treatment must be consistent with evidence-based guidelines, requiring the use of treatment plans authorized by the patient's primary care physician and requiring that all autism providers be licensed by the state.