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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 27, 2015 09:59 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Joseph F. Markosek |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Maintaining Autism Diagnosis |
| In the near future, I will be reintroducing legislation (previously House Bill 692) which would amend the current law that requires health insurance providers to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. The current law, section 635.2 of the Insurance Company Law of 1921, was enacted in 2008. The criteria for diagnosing autism spectrum disorders are set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. The current version, the DSM-V was published in May 2013. The DSM-V revised the definition of “autism spectrum disorders.” The new definition has caused some concern in the autism community regarding whether individuals who were diagnosed under the DSM-IV would retain their diagnosis under the DSM-V. The state of Illinois amended its law mandating health coverage of the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders to ensure that individuals diagnosed under the DSM-IV remain covered for services under the DSM-V. Pennsylvania should offer the same protection. Last session, this legislation was cosponsored by the following members: MARKOSEK , BISHOP, D. COSTA, McGEEHAN, KAVULICH, STURLA, SCHLOSSBERG, O'BRIEN, HARHAI, DAVIS, COHEN, FRANKEL, BOBACK, BROWNLEE, HESS, V. BROWN, SABATINA, BIZZARRO, SNYDER, CALTAGIRONE, READSHAW, MOUL, KORTZ, THOMAS, MAHONEY, MURT, P. DALEY, KINSEY, YOUNGBLOOD, MATZIE, GOODMAN, McCARTER, BRADFORD, PAINTER and GIBBONS. |
Introduced as HB650