Ava’s Law is named for Ava Bullard of Lyons, GA, whose early autism treatment helped to restore her speech. This law is a tremendous victory for children with autism in Georgia who before did not have access to effective treatments that were proven to help their behavioral disorder. Have you checked your insurance coverage since the passing of Ava’s Law? You might have much better coverage than the law requires, even if your child is over 6 years old.
What is Ava’s Law?
Ava’s Law was signed by Governor Nathan Deal in April 2015 and became effective July 1, 2015. Ava’s Law requires certain insurance companies regulated by Georgia law to provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and other treatments for children diagnosed with autism.
While this law provides tremendous benefits to many children, it has its limitations. For example, it only requires coverage for children ages six and under and may have a maximum benefit of $30,000 per year. It also only applies to certain insurance plans regulated in Georgia. If your plan is not subject to this law, it doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have coverage. In fact, you might have even better coverage.
Don’t let the limitations in Ava’s law fool you. Passage of this law was a huge accomplishment and should not be taken lightly.
Does this affect me?
The only way to know for sure if your insurance plan provides coverage for ABA therapy is to check with the plan itself. Some plans may be based in other states and subject to other laws. The laws in the other states may require coverage with no age caps or dollar limits. While it is still possible that your plan does not provide coverage, don’t let limitations in Ava’s Law make you think that your child who is older than six cannot get services.
Most insurance plans and benefits change in January while some may change mid-year. Have you checked your coverage in the last couple of months? It is worth constantly checking with them to see if your benefits have changed even if you have been denied coverage in the past.
Can Trusty Behavioral Services help my child?
We would be happy to assist you in checking your eligibility and benefits to determine if your child may indeed have coverage for these important services. Click here to email us or give us a call at 470-219-8271.
