Ryan's Law in SC for children with autism

Read some of the articles about this law, written by Ryan's Mom, a lawyer, lobbied for by parents of children with autism and passed in both houses in SC only to be vetoed by the governor. The override of the veto by the South Carolina has created a legislative mandate, for health insurance coverage for autistic children (diagnosed before age 8).

Of interest for purposes of action is a) that the Mom, lawyer, had no greater opportunity to know the contents of her insurance policy than any one else until the situation arose and she was denied coverage.

For purposes of this website it is long past time for health insurers to be required to supply insured with copies of their health insurance plans that are written in plain English and can be used by consumers as an easy reference to their contractual rights or third party beneficiary rights under the contract.

b) Good organization of autism groups means tapping into a lobbying resource through membership or participation in such groups.

For our purposes, note that this State law was passed through the efforts of local and larger groups of people focused on a single interest: insurance coverage for autistic children.

c) The health insurance companies balked at the idea of a South Carolina legislative mandate and the governor attempted to veto the bill.

For our purposes autism is for lack of a better word a pushbutton issue in today's society. With the increased diagnosis of and the increased publicity about autism, saying no to autism is never done with the same fervor as saying no to transplants or cancer surgery, it's always done in the double speak of political hot-button issues.

d) Note that the Mom who authored the bill has already heard from other parents saying they'd move to SC, and she showed concern.

For our purposes, state by state coverage means that individuals WILL shop around for where to establish residency considering legislative mandates in particular states. While the South Carolina experience will be informative, it is likely to attract parents of autistic children to the state especially because the parents are statistically likely to be younger and more mobile and parents of pre-school age children.