MO Senate passes their own autism bill

For the March 19 Columbia Tribune:

"JEFFERSON CITY (AP) — Missouri senators voted yesterday to require some health insurance plans to cover treatment for autism.

The legislation, approved by a 26-6 vote, would require group insurance policies regulated by the state to provide as much as $55,000 annually for behavioral treatment until age 21.

The “applied behavioral analysis” is an intensive and costly therapy some parents say produces dramatic improvements in their autistic children.

Similar legislation was approved by the House in February and would require coverage of as much as $36,000 annually until age 18. The Senate version of the bill now goes to the House."

The bill referred to is SB 618 sponsored by Senators Rupp and Schmidt. The House and the Senate, each having now passed a bill, will have to decide which one to back. They can then make compromises and changes to hopefully satisfy both sides while not jeopardizing the strength of the bill.

Read a comparable story in March 18th's Missourian.