Santa Monica, CA -- In a complex opinion issued yesterday, the California Court of Appeal ended the Department of Managed Health Care’s (DMHC) discriminatory practice of allowing HMOs to deny treatment for autistic children of state employees and low-income families enrolled in the Healthy Families program on the basis that such treatment can only be administered through state-licensed providers.

A case before the California Court Of Appeals could affect the healthcare treatment of over 13,000 children with autism.

Consumer Watchdog fights to guarantee children with autism get the treatment they need

LOS ANGELES - Two state agencies that regulate slightly different kinds of health insurance plans are taking dramatically different views on the same state law that requires mental health coverage.

Appellate court justices Wednesday heard arguments in the latest step of a four-year saga over a lawsuit that seeks to require the state Department of Managed Health Care to provide coverage to autistic children and reimburse insured families who have made out-of-pocket payments for autism treatments.

A panel of the California Court of Appeal today took up the long standing dispute about insurance companies’ obligations to cover a critical treatment for autistic children. At stake is whether the autistic children of many firefighters, cops and state employees will get the appropriate care when they need it.

Law360, Los Angeles (August 14, 2013, 3:58 PM ET) -- Nonprofit consumer group Consumer Watchdog urged a California appellate court Wednesday to revive a lawsuit seeking to force insurers to pay for an autism treatment, arguing that a trial court erroneously ruled that patients may only receive coverage if a state-licensed therapist administered the treatment.

Private insurance companies are required to cover an expensive treatment for children with autism, but that same coverage is being denied to children insured under MediCal and CalPers policies. As CBS 2's Randy Paige tells us, a court battle is underway to try and change that.

Santa Monica, CA– A California Appellate Court in Los Angeles will consider a long-running dispute at a Tuesday afternoon hearing about insurance companies’ obligations to cover a critical treatment for autistic children.  The case, brought by the non-profit Consumer Watchdog, will also determine if families previously forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for autism treatment should be re

Parents of children with autism lauded the governor's decision to sign into law a bill that requires health insurers to cover behavioral health treatments for their kids, but questions linger about the therapy and whether the coverage will continue after the main provisions of the federal health law go into effect in 2014.

Appeals court sides with patient, giving hope to others

Health insurance providers can expect new litigation - and pressure from existing litigants - after a federal appellate court decision on Friday said they are responsible for covering mental health treatment on par with care for physical conditions.

Multiple lawsuits and a piece of state legislation are already underway to force insurance coverage of treatment for autism, and advocates fighting for that coverage say Friday's ruling brings momentum to their cause.