Autism insurance bill stalls in North Carolina

From WFMY-TV:

RALEIGH, N.C. - Supporters of the proposed Autism Insurance Bill faced a major set back today in Raleigh.

State lawmakers tabled the legislation until next year, meaning thousands of parents will have to continue paying for their child's Autism treatments out of pocket.

It's a huge blow to parents who spent the last two years pushing for Autism Insurance Reform.

Parent Debra Merchant is disappointed lawmakers tabled the bill. The Piedmont mom's insurance company denied her son Jordan's Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) treatments.

She pays $15,000 a year to get him the care he needs

This bill would have eased the financial burden and made it mandatory for health insurance companies to provide coverage.

"You never give up! You never give up on your child. You just start all over again. But it's costing us time where Jordan can be learning so much more and becoming more independent. And the money, bills; just racks up," said Merchant.

WFMY News 2 contacted Senators William Purcell and Stan Bingham who are members of the Senate Health Care committee.

They say the committee did not have all the financial information they needed to get the bill passed.

"It's going to affect insurance rates for people and we need to know how much before we can vote," said Purcell.

"It was wise economics on our part so we do not get our citizens into something that we cannot afford," added Bingham.

Both Senators support the bill. They tell News 2 had the figures been ready the bill would have likely passed during the short session.

The Senate Health Care Committee will revisit the bill during its next work session which begins in January 2011.