I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2051 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize extended benefits for 
certain autistic dependents of certain retirees. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2009 
Mr. MILLER of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize extended 
benefits for certain autistic dependents of certain retirees. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) The National Institute of Neurological Dis-
orders and Stroke states that autism is a common 
condition in a group of developmental disorders 
known as the autism spectrum disorders and is char-
acterized by impaired social interaction, problems 
with verbal and nonverbal communication, and un-
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usual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and in-
terests. 
(2) According to a February 2007 study by the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 
150 children that had reached the age of 8 had au-
tism or an autism spectrum disorder such as 
Asperger’s syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood dis-
integrative disorder, or a pervasive developmental 
disorder not otherwise specified. 
(3) The Department of Defense introduced the 
Extended Care Health Option program to provide 
coverage to active duty members of the Armed 
Forces for applied behavioral analysis, a treatment 
for the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. Ac-
tive duty member beneficiaries are covered for ap-
plied behavioral analysis treatment for up to $2,500 
per month with a maximum of $30,000 per year. 
(4) According to a Harvard School of Public 
Health report, without effective intervention, ap-
proximately 90 percent of individuals with an autism 
spectrum disorder require lifelong care, which costs 
an estimated $3.2 million over a child’s lifetime. Ap-
plied behavioral analysis therapy has been shown to 
be effective in reducing the percentage of individuals 
with an autism spectrum disorder that require life-
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long care to less than 50 percent and reducing the 
costs of lifelong care by two-thirds. 
(5) Benefits of the Extended Care Health Op-
tion program are not available to military retirees 
enrolled in TRICARE, but in a letter dated June 
23, 2008, the Department of Defense stated that 
there are 8,784 retirees with dependants diagnosed 
with an autism spectrum disorder. 
SEC. 2. EXTENDED CARE HEALTH OPTION PROGRAM FOR 
AUTISTIC DEPENDENTS OF CERTAIN RETIR-
EES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION FOR EXTENDED BENEFITS FOR 
AUTISTIC DEPENDENTS OF CERTAIN RETIREES.—Sec-
tion 1086 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(i)(1) The extended benefits program shall apply to 
any covered retiree with respect to any dependent of such 
a retiree if the dependent is— 
‘‘(A) described in subparagraph (D) or (I) of 
section 1072(2) of this title; 
‘‘(B) diagnosed with autism; and 
‘‘(C) not entitled to benefits under part A of 
title XVIII of the Social Security Act. 
‘‘(2) In this subsection: 
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‘‘(A) The term ‘extended benefits program’ 
means the program provided pursuant to subsections 
(d), (e), and (f) of section 1079 of this title. 
‘‘(B) The term ‘covered retiree’ means any per-
son eligible for health benefits under this section by 
reason of coverage by section 1074(b) (as described 
in subsection (c)(1) of this section) who is— 
‘‘(i) not entitled to benefits under part A 
of title XVIII of the Social Security Act; and 
‘‘(ii) not enrolled under part B of such 
title. 
‘‘(C) The term ‘autism’ refers to the autism 
spectrum disorders, which are developmental disabil-
ities that cause substantial impairments in the areas 
of social interaction, emotional regulation, commu-
nication, and the integration of higher-order cog-
nitive processes and are often characterized by the 
presence of unusual behaviors and interests. The 
term includes autistic disorder, pervasive develop-
mental disorder (not otherwise specified), Asperger’s 
syndrome, and any of the pervasive disorders as de-
fined by the most recent edition of the Diagnostic 
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to benefits under the extended 
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