126th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 347 LR 683(02)
An Act To Amend Insurance Coverage for Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
Potential future biennium savings - General Fund
FY 2013-14 FY 2014-15 Projections  FY 2015-16 Projections  FY 2016-17
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $0 $42,897 $46,334
Highway Fund $0 $0 $16,042 $17,328
Appropriations/Allocations
General Fund $0 $0 $42,897 $46,334
Highway Fund $0 $0 $16,042 $17,328
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Expanding required coverage for autism spectrum disorders to children 10 years of age or under from the current law requirement of 5 years of age or under is estimated to have an overall cost to the State Employee Health Insurance Program of $101,100 in 2015-16 and $109,200 in 2016-17 based on an assumed cost of 0.05% of total claims. Of this total, the cost to General Fund programs is estimated to be $42,897 in 2015-16 and $46,334 in 2016-17.  The impact on Highway Fund programs is estimated to be $16,042 in 2015-16 and $17,328 in 2016-17. Because of the bill's effective date for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, it is not assumed to have an impact in the current biennium given the State's current July through June plan year. 
Based on its experience with the implementation of the required private insurance coverage to children up to age 5 and the lack of any significant third party savings realized, the Department of Health and Human Services does not believe the savings to the MaineCare program from the expansion to children up to 10 years of age will be significant.