Raytheon Beats Would-Be Class Suit Over Speech Therapy Coverage

Raytheon Co. convinced a federal judge in Boston to dismiss an employee’s proposed class action claiming the company’s health plan doesn’t properly cover non-restorative speech therapy treatments for people with autism.

The Raytheon plan’s coverage limitation doesn’t distinguish between mental health and physical conditions, Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled Tuesday for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Stearns therefore dismissed the Raytheon employee’s lawsuit, but allowed the employee to file a new complaint raising claims under federal mental health parity law.

The lawsuit challenges Raytheon’s alleged practice of covering restorative speech therapy for people who have lost ...