Autism

by Rachel Storch

As I knock on doors in the 64^th district, families often share with me the struggles they deal with on a day-to-day basis.  Increasingly, I am hearing from constituents that autism, the effect it has on families, and the costs associated with treatment are becoming a prominent concern. 

One of the major issues facing families with an autistic child is finding affordable treatment.  I believe that private insurance companies should be required to provide coverage for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.  Many Missouri families experience difficulty in finding an insurance company to provide coverage for the high costs of treating autism.  In contrast, fourteen other states currently mandate coverage. 

This year, Representative Sam Page filed legislation in Missouri that would have required insurance companies to cover children with autism spectrum disorder through the age of 21.   Unfortunately, this legislation did not pass, but I will continue to fight for its passage in the next legislative session.

 One of my constituents, Penny Brennell, has received national recognition for her advocacy work on autism.  Each year, Penny brings students with autism to the Missouri legislature to shadow legislators.  I have been proud to have an autistic student shadow me for the last several years.  This is part of a continuing effort to raise awareness about the autism spectrum.

FACTS ABOUT AUTISM

• Prevalence of autism is 1 in 150 American children
• A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes
• Symptoms generally start to appear within the first three years of life
• Early intervention can greatly improve a child's development
• 1.5 million Americans are living with the effects of autism spectrum disorder
• Autism occurs in every racial, ethnic, and socio-economic group, and is four times more likely to occur in boys than in girls
• Autism costs the nation over $35 billion a year, a figure that is expected to increase significantly over the next decade.
• It can cost millions of dollars to take care of an autistic individual over his or her lifetime
• Costs of life long care could be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention