The Empire State now prohibits health insurers from denying medical benefits to residents who suffer from autism spectrum disorders.
New York Gov. George Pataki, a Republican, recently signed Assembly Bill 699, establishing a law that bans the practice of limiting access to coverage for hospital or surgical services for a policyholder who suffers from autism or a related disorder, such as Asperger’s syndrome.
The new law applies to all state-regulated health insurance policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after Jan. 1, 2007, New York insurance regulators say.