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Mo. House Committee Explores Autism Insurance

Jefferson City, MO – A State House committee studying the impact of autism in Missouri took testimony yesterday in preparation for crafting legislation next year.

Lorri Unumb of Lexington, South Carolina, is the mother of an autistic child, and helped get an autism insurance bill passed in her home state.

She told Missouri lawmakers that passing similar legislation here would be cheaper than letting taxpayers foot the bill.

"There is a huge autism tsunami that is going to hit the state of Missouri," Unumb said. "And it's gonna cost an extraordinary amount of money in special education, adult care, and institutionalization costs."

A former lawmaker who now lobbies for the insurance industry testified that mandating autism coverage could hurt small businesses.

Marshall Griffin is the Statehouse reporter for St. Louis Public Radio.
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