AB 162 leaves children of public service workers with autism out of coverage

This is a bit of stunner to me -- the bill that requires health insurance plans in the state to cover treatment for children with autism excludes children whose parents are on Medicaid or the PEBP plan. And with us fending off attacks on so many fronts, I don't now if anyone saw this coming (though of course we should have).

The explanation appears to be that the legislative leadership has told legislators that bills which add costs to the state will not be moved to the floor this session. So the bill had to be amended to exclude those whose insurance is paid in part by the state.

We must hope that in the Senate, there will be more consideration given to the the impact of this sort of decision -- that in the name of fiscal rectitude, they are leaving families behind.