Regards authority of advanced practice registered nurses
In addition to its provisions related to autism, SB196 emphasizes the establishment of a statewide birth defects information system to gather data about congenital anomalies and abnormal conditions among newborns. It further mandates women's health services, which includes accessible resources for cancer screenings, sexual health education, and prenatal care, thus aiming to improve health outcomes for women statewide. This emphasis on women's health may lead to improved reproductive health services and education, which were previously inadequately addressed in state healthcare policies.
Senate Bill 196 introduces comprehensive measures aimed at improving healthcare access and treatment provisions for various disorders, specifically targeting autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and expanding women's health services across the state. The bill mandates that individual and group health insuring corporations provide coverage for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of ASD without discrimination, ensuring that insurance policies maintain parity in coverage provisions. This will remove barriers for families seeking needed services for children diagnosed with ASD, while imposing strict regulations on the coverage limits and requirements for such services.
While supporters of SB196 argue that it would significantly enhance the quality of healthcare services available, particularly for vulnerable populations like children with autism and women, there are contentions surrounding the funding and implementation of these provisions. Concerns have also been raised regarding the restrictions against abortion services that accompany the provisions for women's health services, limiting the scope of care that can be provided under this bill. Critics argue that these restrictions could undermine efforts to improve overall women's health and access to comprehensive reproductive services.