A bill awaiting Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s signature would require health insurance sold in the state to include coverage for autism services--at least in a limited fashion.
The bill sent to the governor last week includes coverage for Applied Behavioral Analysis.
Representative John Rubin, of Shawnee, guided the bill through the House. He says research shows ABA is the most effective form of therapy for a majority of kids with autism, but it needs to start in the preschool years…
“Many hours a week of that therapy is required,” says Rubin. “Many of these kids, if they get that therapy for 30 or even 40 hours a week preschool, can later on be mainstreamed in school rather than being in special ed classes, which will save the state a lot of money.”
If the bill is signed into law, it will cover a maximum of 25 hours a week for four years. After that, it would cover ten hours a week, until the child reaches the age of 12.
Rubin says he’ll try to get those and other limits on the coverage removed during next year’s legislative session.