Signed, sealed, delivered: Gov. Jay Nixon signs autism bill
Missouri's autism insurance legislation the result of legislative wrangling
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signs the autism insurance bill into law at Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospital Friday, June 11.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Five-year-old Mason Grey is an energetic boy with pint-sized glasses and an infectious smile who got a front-row seat to Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's appearance at Children's Mercy Hospital Friday morning.
Mason has autism, and his mother, Jennifer Grey, has been at the forefront of the push for an autism insurance bill.
"Joel and I always say that autism is the most unexpected journey of our lives," said Grey. "To say it isn't easy is an understatement."
Grey was one of the original "autism moms" that Lee's Summit Rep. Jeff Grisamore remembers seeing in the hallways of Jefferson City, pushing for coverage for children like Mason.
What are autism spectrum disorders?
Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders. Nationwide, one in every 110 children is diagnosed with autism.
(Source: Autism Speaks)
"They conducted a full-court press on this issue," Grisamore said.
Today, Missouri's autism moms scored big.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed a bill Friday that would require insurance companies to cover medical costs to treat autism. It's a victory for families affected by autism, many who took to the halls of the State Capitol to demand coverage for their children.
"Things are going to change," Nixon said Friday. "It's going to be different in the Show-Me State."
Nixon said Missouri would now be a national leader in diagnosing and treating children with autism early.
Missouri's law requires health insurance companies regulated by the state to cover autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment. Insurance companies must cover $40,000 a year for applied behavioral analysis treatment, with no cap on how many visits a child could make.
It's a bill that could make parenting with autism less of an overwhelming financial burden for some Missouri parents.
What The Law Does
The autism insurance bill signed by Gov. Jay Nixon requires health insurance companies to cover the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders, cover Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and not limit the number of visits a child with autism has to receive ABA. Insurance companies also must not deny a person coverage or decline to renew health insurance coverage because a dependent is diagnosed with autism.
(Source: Governor's Office)
The Autism Society of America says lifetime of care for a child with autism can be as high as $5 million. In many cases, insurance companies aren't willing to foot the bill, saying premiums could skyrocket.
"There are so many insurance companies that for years have played the game where they kick autism back and forth, between a mental health disorder and a medical condition," said Rochelle Harris, a psychologist at Children's Mercy. "They'll say they don't cover treatment for autism."
The law also has some protections for small business owners, who are exempt if they can show that the law would raise their insurance premiums.
Lorri Unumb, senior policy adviser for Autism Speaks said Missouri's autism insurance mandate was one of the strongest autism bills in the country.
It's a legislative victory for Missouri's state lawmakers, who have worked to pass an autism insurance bill for several years.
But for children with autism, like Mason, the law means something different.
"This isn't just a feel-good bill," Jennifer Grey said. "This was just the right thing to do."
When asked how he felt about the law, Mason knew exactly what to say.
"Happy," he said with a toothy grin.
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