by KYW's Tony Romeo

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell says he will sign a bill on its way to his desk that will provide insurance coverage for autism disorders, and will give the state insurance commissioner a say over the proposed merger of the state’s two largest health insurance companies.

The bill that has now passed the state House and Senate will give the state insurance commissioner oversight of the proposed merger of Highmark and Independence Blue Cross:

“The insurance commissioner should have the right to fully either veto or approve that merger. Right now, he would have possessed the right to take parts of it and rule on it, but not the entire part of it.”

The bill also requires insurance companies to pay up to $36,000 a year for autism therapy for people under age 21. Medical assistance will cover costs above that amount.

Businesses with 51 or more employees would have to offer the coverage beginning a year from now. It’s estimated that autism occurs in one in every 150 children.