AUTISM COVERAGE FUND S.B. 137:
REVISED SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 137 (as introduced 2-17-15)
Sponsor: Senator Dave Hildenbrand
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Autism Coverage Reimbursement Act to allow for the one-time appropriation and expenditure of an additional $3.0 million from the Autism Coverage Fund (ACF) in fiscal year (FY) 2014-15, bringing the total spent from the Fund to $8.5 million. These funds could be used for university autism programs and autism family assistance services as appropriated in Section 1902 of the Department of Community Health (DCH) budget for FY 2014-15, Article IV, Public Act 252 of 2014.
BACKGROUND
The Autism Coverage Reimbursement Act, which provides for the Autism Coverage Fund, was established by Public Act 101 of 2012 in order to assist health insurance carriers with offsetting the costs of offering autism benefits for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. Appropriations made in the FY 2014-15 DCH budget for autism programs from the Fund were the result of the May 2014 budget Leadership Target Agreements to support grants to the Autism Alliance, Central Michigan University, Oakland University, and Western Michigan University.
For FY 2012-13, $15.0 million was appropriated to the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) for the Autism Coverage Fund. This amount dropped in FY 2013-14 to a total appropriation of $11.0 million. Money remaining in the Fund at the end of the fiscal year does not lapse, but carries forward into the next fiscal year. The FY 2014-15 budget did not include an appropriation in DIFS for the Autism Coverage Fund. However, the DCH budget included a total of $9.0 million for various autism programs, with the following breakdown:
|
Line Item |
Amount |
Source of Funds |
Recipient |
|
Behavioral Health Administration |
$500,000 |
$500,000 GF/GP |
Eastern Michigan Univ. |
|
University Autism Programs |
$7.0 million |
$3.0 million GF/GP |
Eastern Michigan Univ. $1.0 million |
|
$4.0 million ACF |
Central Michigan Univ. $500,000 |
||
|
(All One-Time) |
Oakland Univ. $500,000 |
||
|
Western Michigan Univ. $4.0 million |
|||
|
Michigan State Univ. $1.0 million |
|||
|
Autism Family Assistance Services |
$1.5 million |
ACF (One-Time) |
Autism Alliance of Michigan |
|
Total: |
$9.0 million |
|
|
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would, in concert with the Governor's proposed supplemental, reduce GF/GP expenditures by $3.0 million, replacing those expenditures with Autism Coverage Fund money. There is currently a sufficient balance in the Fund to support the proposed appropriation. As of February 19, 2015, the balance in the Fund was approximately $13.4 million. The true balance of the Fund may be slightly less than that amount because some of the payments of claims for reimbursement received in January and early February 2015 are still being processed.
Fiscal Analyst: Ellyn Ackerman
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.