House endorses bill to require autism coverage

HELENA – The state House gave its initial approval today to a bill that would require insurance companies to cover a variety of childhood autism treatments. The vote was 77-23.

Senate Bill 234, carried by Rep. Kendall Van Dyk, D-Billings, would compel insurance providers to fund treatments that have been shown to improve the quality of life for autistic children.

“I stand here, as sure as I ever was, that we’re going to do the right thing by Montana families,” Van Dyk said.

The House Appropriations Committee originally placed a two-year sunset provision on the bill, meaning the mandated insurance coverage would end in 2011 if the next Legislature decides not to renew it. Rep. Walter McNutt, R-Sidney, said the sunset was not meant punitively, but as a safety valve in case insurance rates rise too high as a result of the mandated coverage.

“We don’t really know what this is going to do to insurance premiums,” McNutt said. “We just wanted to say we better take another look.”

But supporters of the bill said the sunset would prevent many families from getting benefits from their insurance companies because the bill would not take affect until 2010. In the end, the House voted 58-42 to strike the sunset provision.

Minority Leader Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, said though the bill has merit, the state cannot afford $1.4 million price it will cost to provide such coverage for state workers.

“At some point we’re going to break the bank,” Sales said. “That day is coming sooner than later.”

But supporters asserted the benefits of treating autistic children early on outweighed the future problems that could come with untreated children.

“We can’t afford not to do this,” said Rep. Jon Sonju, R-Kalispell.

-by CNS correspondent Molly Priddy