 Image: jeffk under CC 3.0 |
The governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, recently signed legislation that mandates family health insurance coverage for autism treatment.
What does the bill do?
- It requires that all Missouri health insurance companies cover the screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
- Insurers are now also mandated to provide up to $40,000 worth of Applied Behavioral Therapy (ABA), which has been clinically shown to be effective in many cases, until the child turns 18.
- Meanwhile, small businesses who can prove that the law will increase their premiums by 2.5% are exempt.
Despite that, some are worried that the new requirements will drive up costs, pricing many others out of the market and leaving them uninsured.
