Autism Insurance Mandate Gains in N.Y.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to require insurance companies to cover screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism.
The bill had broad bipartisan support, including Sen. Neil Breslin, a Bethlehem Democrat who worked the draft the legislation as chairman of the insurance committee and Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga, who has long drawn attention to the disorder.
"It's a piece of legislation that I believe is landmark," Breslin said. Twenty other states already require some form of autism coverage by insurers.