Autism bill advances in Missouri Senate
JEFFERSON CITY — Moving with surprising speed on a long-controversial measure, the Senate gave first-round approval this afternoon to a bill requiring insurers to cover therapy for autistic children.
The vote came after sponsor Scott Rupp, R-Wentzville, scaled back the bill to limit the mandate to those younger than 18 instead of 21. He also lowered the cap on the preferred type of treatment for young children, applied behavior analysis, to $55,000 from $72,000.
Other changes make the coverage subject to the normal utilization reviews that insurers require to make sure treatment is medically necessary.
The bill (SB167) advanced on a voice vote. It now moves to the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee, where chairman Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield, is expected to sit on it awhile. The bill needs another Senate vote to move to the House.
