- Liability & Litigation Exposure: If acetaminophen is legally tied to autism, pharmaceutical giants and possibly distributors could face mass tort actions. Liability insurers covering those entities may be pulled into coverage disputes over defense and indemnity obligations.
- Health Coverage: Autism treatment already generates significant costs for health insurers. With new treatments green-lit by the administration, policies may require adjustment to cover innovative — and likely expensive — therapies.
- Life & Disability Insurance: Families with children diagnosed on the spectrum may increasingly pursue benefits. Insurers will need to recalibrate risk models and underwriting practices.
- Bad Faith Risks: Any refusal to cover autism-related treatments, in the face of this new federal guidance, could become fertile ground for policyholder lawsuits alleging breach of contract or bad faith denial.
What began as a public health guidance may quickly transform into one of the largest insurance-law battles of the decade.
