Bill passes to insure more autism cases

The Legislature passed a bill Friday requiring health insurers to expand coverage of the diagnosis and treatment of autism.

The legislation would prevent insurers from denying coverage for a range of treatments to individuals with autism. Sen. Charles Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick), who sponsored the bill, said it would save families out-of-pocket expenses that they've had to pay because insurers refused to cover such treatments.

"The cost is astronomical and we join many other states in the nation that now will for the first time provide for coverage," Fuschillo said. "It's the right thing to do and it's long overdue." Insurers would have to cover behavioral health and speech, occupational and physical therapy for people with autism.

Last year former Gov. David A. Paterson vetoed a similar effort, citing additional costs to the state of providing insurance. A spokesman for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said he would review the bill.

Fuschillo said his bill would save the state money, pointing to a study commissioned by Autism Speaks, an advocacy organization, that said the legislation would save the state a net $13 million over six years because private insurers would pick up more of the bill for treatments currently covered by Medicaid and more children could be mainstreamed, which would reduce special education spending.

"This finally puts autism on a level playing field with other disorders that are covered by insurance," said Michael Giangregorio, of Merrick, whose son Nicholas, 10, has autism. Giangregorio is the executive chairman of the Long Island branch of Autism Speaks.

The Legislature Friday also passed a bill that will allow commercial clam boats to join forces to save money. Currently 22 companies on Long Island each have separate permits and boats to harvest clams. This bill would allow three or four companies to use a single boat and keep their individual permits, something that's not permitted now.

"The purpose for that is to make the fishery economically viable because this will reduce costs for fuel, maintenance for boats [and] insurance," said Assemb. Fred Thiele, Jr. (I-Sag Harbor) who sponsored the bill.

A bill that would allow the names of volunteer firefighters to be added to a memorial wall in Albany if an "authoritative agency" determines that they died in the line of duty passed both chambers -- the Assembly Friday and the Senate on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, an extension of additional sales, hotel, motel and entertainment taxes in Nassau County and a call for more red light cameras in Nassau and Suffolk remain in limbo.