ATLANTA
Sen. John Albers speaks at a news conference Wednesday about a bill that would require insurance companies to include autism coverage in their health plans. State Sen. Tommie Williams niece, Anna Bullard, looks on. Bullards daughter, Ava, is the inspiration for the proposed legislation. (Photo Courtesy of Georgia Health News.)
Its time to fix this problem, said Williams, a Republican from Lyons. His nieces daughter, Ava Bullard, is the inspiration for the proposed legislation, called Avas Law. The issue has been raised at the Legislature for the past five years, Williams said.
We should pass this bill, he said.
Williams was joined by Rep. Scot Turner (R-Holly Springs), whose son suffers from autism; Sen. John Albers ( R-Roswell); and Rep. Ben Harbin (R-Evans) at a news conference that was part of Autism Day at the Georgia Capitol. Albers and Harbin are lead sponsors of the Avas Law bills in their chambers.
If the bill gets to the floor of the House and Senate, it will pass, Harbin said.
To bolster their case, the legislators noted that Gov. Nathan Deal supported first-time funding for coverage of autism in the State Employee Health Plan. The proposal allocates $2.4 million for treatment.
Still, neither Avas Law nor the governors proposal would mandate payment for treatment under Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids, the plans covering children of the states poorest families.
Avas Law also would not apply to large companies that self-insure employees coverage. But Shelley Hendrix, director of grassroots development at Autism Speaks, noted that many employers such as the Southern Company, Home Depot, Sun Trust, IBM, Time Warner and the Southern Baptist Convention already provide meaningful coverage for those with autism.
The CDC says about 1 in 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder, and that the number among boys is 1 in 54. The disorder is characterized by difficulties with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.
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Requiring Insurers To Cover Autism Is Personal For Legislators