Health Insurance Coverage Under ADA

Although the ADA does not require an employer to provide additional insurance benefits to an individual with a disability, an employer may not deny health insurance coverage completely to an individual based upon that person's diagnosis or disability absent an actuarial justification. For example, a blind person may not be denied coverage based on blindness independent of actuarial risk classification. Also, an employee who is addicted to drugs, but not a current user, may not be excluded from receiving health care benefits simply because of the person's addiction. Similarly, an employer may not deny a qualified applicant a job because the employer's current insurance plan does not cover the person's disability or because of the increased cost of insurance. An employer also may not terminate an employee so as to avoid paying the increased costs of the employee's medical benefits or those of a family member with a disability.