Michigan Is Soon to Be Among the Best 10 States For Raising an Autistic Child

Michigan's Lt. Gov. Brian Calley signed a bipartisan package of bills in April that requires insurers to offer coverage for autism treatment and diagnosis. The insurance mandate takes effect on Monday, but there is a grace period that allows insurers to start programs at the start of their next plan year.

State regulators launched a website for the Autism Coverage Reimbursement Program.  The fund received a $15 million appropriation for its first year and will reimburse eligible health insurance companies and third-party administrators for paid claims related to autism treatment and diagnosis. Future funding will depend on annual appropriations. 

The Program will accept claims for services provided on or after Oct. 15.  The fund will reimburse insurers in the order that their claims are approved, and reimbursements may not be paid if the fund runs out of money.  

See Melissa Anders, Michigan's Autism Insurance Mandate Kicks in On Monday, MLive, Oct. 12, 2012. 

For more information on planning for autistic children, please see Katherine Owen's article referenced here. 

Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.