New Jersey Now Requires Health Insurance Companies To Cover Care for Autism

New Jersey Now Requires Health Insurance Companies To Cover Care for Autism in Politics and Legislation

In a continued budding national trend, New Jersey becomes the latest state to mandate autism health insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment.

The bill was signed into law today by Governor Jon Corzine.

New Jersey has the highest rate of autism in the country. In a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 1 in 94 children have autism compared with 1 in 152 in the rest of the country, reported the Associated Press.

Initially, the bill faced opposition from groups who were afraid the mandate would drive up costs, wrote the article.

But the resistance wasn’t enough to kill the legislation, which now requires health insurance companies to cover medically necessary treatments for autism-related health issues.

“This [bill] is one of those things that will make a difference, not just for today and tomorrow but for long into the future,” said Governor Jon Corzine.

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