Autism advocates have filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Managed Health Care to force the department to require insurance companies to pay for physician-ordered services. Insurers argue that physician-ordered behavior-modification therapy for autistic patients is educational and not a valid medical expense, resulting in a denial of coverage. Coverage disputes previously sent by the department to independent medical panels are now being redirected to the department’s coverage-dispute division, which advocates allege is now resulting in loss of services.