In Whitley v. Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., 2017 LEXIS 68040 (E.D. Tex. 2017), the Plaintiff’s son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in September, 2015. Amy Whitley claimed Dr. Pepper discriminated against her because it denied coverage for Applied Behavior Analysis treatment, a form of therapy for autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Pepper’s Summary Plan Description initially made no reference to ABA treatment. The Plan did not list ABA treatment as excluded from coverage. In September, 2015, Amy Whitley met with an HR person for Dr. Pepper. The HR person said the Plan did not cover vocational rehabilitation training.

On Jan. 29, 2016, Dr. Pepper amended the Summary Plan Description to specifically exclude ABA treatment. The new Summary Plan Description was posted in May, 2016. Plaintiff Whitley filed an EEOC charge and later filed suit.

The employer moved for summary judgment and argued the amendment was intended to clarify the Plan. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits a denial of benefits due to a disability. The court found the plaintiff had an association with a person with a disability, her son. Dr. Pepper became aware of her son’s diagnosis in September, 2015. The court found the denial of coverage amounted to a denial of benefits, which is prohibited by the ADA. A term or provision of a health benefit plan may violate the ADA if it singles out a particular disability. The 2016 Amended Plan did single out and exclude from coverage ABA treatment.

The burden then shifted to the employer to provide a non-discriminatory reason for the exclusion. The court was not satisfied with the reason offered by the employer. The court found there was substantial issue of material fact regarding why the treatment was excluded. The court denied the motion for summary judgment, finding that the employee showed mgenuine issue of fact regarding whether the employer’s actions amounted to retaliation. See the decision here.