Parents whose children have muscular dystrophy rely on their health insurance to assist in making sure their child gets the care he or she needs. The same can be said for the parents of children with juvenile diabetes, leukemia, or hearing or vision disorders.
That same assurance isn’t there for parents of children diagnosed with autism.
But, on Thursday, Missouri moved a step closer to making that happen. The Senate passed legislation requiring some insurers to provide coverage for treating children with autism.
According to The Associated Press, the legislation would require group health insurance plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism for children younger than 18, beginning in 2010.
It specifically would require coverage for a costly type of treatment known as “applied behavioral analysis,” which some parents say is particularly helpful for their autistic children. Insurers would have to cover up to $55,000 annually for such treatment for children younger than 15.
Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, who voted in favor of the bill, said his decision was based on the premise of right and wrong.
“When there are actual medical conditions that require care, I’ve never been of the opinion that it’s right to exclude coverage for certain medical conditions.”
Nodler said that objections to the bill are linked to fear that it will drive up insurance costs.
“I can’t say absolutely that it won’t, but that should be a separate issue. Bottom line, it’s the right thing to do.”
Paula Baker, chief executive officer of Ozark Center of Joplin, which serves as the overseeing agency for Ozark Center for Autism, said in the 11 states that have passed the same law, insurance costs have gone down because the early intervention saves money later.
“Autism is treatable. When treated early, a child can grow up and go to school, go to college, get married. Why shouldn’t insurance cover that treatment?” she said in a phone interview with the Globe.
The Senate passed the bill 29-2 on Thursday. The bill now goes to the House, where a separate version has stalled.
We applaud the Senate for doing the right thing. We would ask our state representatives to pass this legislation, so children with autism receive the same health coverage afforded to others.
Opinion
In our view: Equity in coverage
- Opinion
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Our View: ‘Why?’ has no answer
Just hours before, there was breakfast and laughter. There were pictures on the walls and memories in every room.
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Our View: Absent from House
We can’t figure out why two Missouri legislators think they should be elected to the U.S. House when it appears they can’t seem to show up to take care of business in the Missouri House.
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Your View: Terrorism is terrorism
In the May 13 issue of The Joplin Globe there was an Associated Press article concerning the New Orleans shooting.
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Your View: Should we be outraged?
Were there effusive apologies following the lockdown of Boston as most of the continent indulged vicariously in the ongoing manhunt?
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Your View: Terrible injustice
I see this Jasper County nuisance law as a terrible injustice on the rights of the residents of Jasper County.
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Other Views: Conflicts in SEC
Money talks. In the continuing dispute over the all-too-cozy relationship between the people who create and sell financial products and the people who rate their risk, the money says: Shut up and let us do what we want.
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Phill Brooks, columnist: Missouri Senate did what Founding Fathers had in mind
George Washington once described the Senate as being like a saucer in which you pour coffee or tea.
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Our View: Fixing failure
Some 1,200 injured workers will finally get the payments they are owed. In its final week in session, Missouri’s General Assembly, through bipartisan efforts, passed a solution to address the insolvency of the state’s Second Injury Fund.
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Herb B. Kuhn, guest columnist: Delaying Medicaid reform could hurt rural Missouri
The Missouri Legislature missed a rare opportunity in the just-ended session to transform Medicaid and make a real difference in the lives and health of hundreds of thousands of our neighbors. Rural Missouri has the most to lose from the legislature’s failure to act.
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Kevin Wilson, guest columnist: When fear wins out, so do the terrorists
I’m going to make a bold statement that’s sure to draw a lot of comments, but hear me out before reaching for the keyboard to type a rebuttal.
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