Raised Bill No. 320 is a legislative proposal to amend Section 38a-488b of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes, with an effective date of January 1, 2025. The bill seeks to broaden the scope of health insurance coverage for early childhood developmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders. It introduces a new definition for "early childhood developmental disorder," which covers a range of mental or physical impairments but excludes learning disabilities. The bill also redefines "autism spectrum disorders" and "behavioral therapy" to encompass a wider range of conditions and treatments. It mandates that individual health insurance policies in Connecticut provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders, including medically necessary treatments such as behavioral therapy, prescription drugs, and various therapeutic services, without imposing more restrictive visit limits or financial requirements than those for other medical conditions.

The bill specifies that group health insurance policies must cover treatments ordered by a licensed physician, psychologist, or clinical social worker, following a developed treatment plan. It prohibits policies from imposing more burdensome visit limits or out-of-pocket expenses for these treatments compared to other medical conditions. The bill also outlines the frequency of treatment plan reviews and maintains that coverage for autism spectrum disorder must be valid for at least twelve months unless a shorter period is deemed appropriate by a licensed professional. The new provisions do not limit other benefits available under the insurance policy or affect services provided under an individualized education program or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The bill includes a deletion of the previous method of indicating proposed changes to the text, where deletions were enclosed in brackets and additions were underlined.