In many states (such as Virginia), families of autistic children have been seeking legislation to provide for insurance coverage for treatment (usually ABA therapy) for their children. A recent decision involving insurance coverage for eating disorders in New Jersey might be of interest: As reported in today’s Star-Ledger, Horison—the state’s largest health insurer—has agreed to cover claims stemming from eating disorders. Some 500 patients will receive $1.2 million when their previously denied claims are reprocessed; the decision settled a class action lawsuit brought by parents of children with anorexia.

In a statement, Horizon spokesman Tom Rubino said the company “believes the settlement is in the best interest of all the parties involved and in line with the direction of federal parity for mental health.”

Horizon said some of its policies provide coverage for eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia but that treatment benefits were limited because they were classified as nonbiological in nature.

“New Jersey law does not identify anorexia and bulimia as biologically based mental illnesses requiring parity benefits,” the statement noted.

Under the terms of the agreement, Horizon will not admit any liability but will provide “parity treatment to eating disorder claims in the future for all current members who are fully insured,” the statement added.

At issue in particular is a debate familiar in discussions about autism: Is–can– anorexia to be defined as a biologically-based disorder? As noted in a previous post on insurance coverage for autism and also anorexia, a 2006 story in Newsweek reported that it’s precisely how anorexia is defined and understood—-as a biological rather than a psychological disorder that has been a crucial issue in getting insurance coverage for treatment. Insurance companies would prefer to define anorexia as caused by “environmental” factors (due to issues in the family, for instance). In the past years, as in the case of autism, there’s been more pointing to genetic causes for anorexia; for a medical and neurological basis for the condition.

Update, 3.10pm: For a transcript of the Town Hall forum, you can go here.

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Today from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., the NYU Child Study Center is holding an Online Town Hall on Children’s Mental Health. Details can be found here; registration starts at 9 a.m. today and commenters have contributed thoughts on what to address in the forum. How can we improve awareness and care for individuals with conditions like autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, bulimia, OCD, depression, and in ways that do not simply denounce and shame people? How can we advertise not fear, but hope?

Back in December, the New York University Child Study Center launched a public awareness advertisement campaign called “Ransom Notes,” in which. The campaign was pulled a few weeks later, in no small part due to the work of disability rights advocacy groups, parents, and many concerned individuals, who questioned the negative portrayal of autism and psychiatric disorders by the “Ransom Notes” campaign. On Tuesday, February 26, 2008 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., the NYU Child Study Center is holding an Online Town Hall on Children’s Mental Health. Details can be found here. How can we improve awareness and care of these issues, in ways that do not simply denounce and shame those with conditions like autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, bulimia, OCD, depression?