There are at least two bills under consideration in the Nevada Assembly that impact our profession. They are designated AB 369 and AB 375.

AB 369 is a bill that relates to the original Autism insurance bill but deals with other practitioner concerns as well. Members are encouraged to make yourselves aware of current developments and to provide comments to committee members as deemed appropriate.

Follow this link to register online to access the text of the two bills. It is free to subscribe and follow up to 10 bills.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/PLT/A/Account/Register

AB369

Digest:

Existing law requires certain health care plans and policies of insurance to provide an option or a requirement, as applicable, of coverage for the screening for and diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders in certain circumstances and with certain limitations on the coverage. (NRS 287.0276, 287.04335, 689A.0435, 689B.0335, 689C.1655, 695C.1717, 695G.1645) This bill requires health care plans and policies of insurance to provide coverage, rather than provide an option of coverage, for the screening for and diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. This bill revises the limitation on coverage for applied behavior analysis from a maximum benefit of $36,000 per year to a maximum benefit of 30 hours of treatment per week unless a treatment plan provides for additional hours of treatment. This bill prohibits an insurer from denying coverage for a treatment on the basis that the treatment is educational in nature. This bill provides that: (1) certain medical procedures are covered for the screening for and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders; and (2) certain treatments are covered for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders. This bill provides that, if any provision of federal law expressly authorizes coverage for autism spectrum disorders that is more favorable to the insured than the provisions of this bill, a health care plan or policy of health insurance must include such coverage.

Primary Sponsor(s):
Assemblyman James Ohrenschall…………….. James.Ohrenschall@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury………….. Melissa.Woodbury@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Marilyn Dondero Loop……… Marilyn.DonderoLoop@asm.state.nv.us

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AB 375 is a bill that relates predominately to the governing of CABI’s.

AB375

Digest:

Existing law provides for the certification and regulation of autism behavior interventionists by the Board of Psychological Examiners. (NRS 641.110, 641.172, 641.232) Sections 4-17, 21, 23-32 and 38 of this bill transfer the authority to certify and regulate autism behavior interventionists from the Board of Psychological Examiners to the Aging and Disability Services Division of the Department of Health and Human Services. Section 39 of this bill provides that a person who holds a current certificate as an autism behavior interventionist issued by the Board is not required to obtain a new certificate from the Division until the expiration of the certificate. Section 39 also makes regulations of the Board concerning autism behavior interventionists enforceable by the Division until the Division adopts regulations to repeal or replace those regulations of the Board. Finally, section 22 of this bill revises the composition of the Board. Existing law requires certain health care plans and policies of insurance to provide an option or a requirement, as applicable, of coverage for the screening for, including the diagnosis of, and the treatment of autism spectrum disorders in certain circumstances. (NRS 287.0276, 689A.0435, 689B.0335, 689C.1655, 695C.1717, 695G.1645) Existing law also establishes the Autism Treatment Assistance Program within the Division to provide and coordinate the provision of services to persons with autism spectrum disorders and requires the Health Division of the Department to refer certain children to the Program. (NRS 427A.875, 442.770) Sections 2, 3, 18-20 and 33-37 of this bill include social communication disorder as a disorder covered by the Program and a disorder for which certain health care plans and policies of insurance must provide an option or a requirement of coverage.

Primary Sponsor(s):
Assemblywoman Marilyn Dondero Loop….. Marilyn.DonderoLoop@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman James Ohrenschall………… James.Ohrenschall@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman David Bobzien……………… David.Bobzien@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury……… Melissa.Woodbury@asm.state.nv.us
Senator Joyce Woodhouse………………… Joyce.Woodhouse@sen.state.nv.us

Co-Sponsor(s):
Assemblyman Paul Aizley………………… Paul.Aizley@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Elliot Anderson……………. Elliot.Anderson@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Richard Carrillo…………… Richard.Carrillo@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblyman Jason Frierson……………. Jason.Frierson@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick…….. Marilyn.Kirkpatrick@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel…………… Ellen.Spiegel@asm.state.nv.us
Assemblywoman Heidi Swank……………. Heidi.Swank@asm.state.nv.us

You are encouraged to share this information with your colleagues and to get involved to help protect and enhance our professional services to young people on the autism spectrum.