In Savannah, Cristina Tuso reports at WTOC-TV:
Georgia lawmakers are considering a bill that would expand insurance coverage for people by raising the required coverage age to 21.
Here’s the challenge families affected by Autism face, it is recommended that a person with Autism get 30 hours of therapy a week, and that will end up costing at least $30,000 a year to get a child the attention they need. This new piece of legislation would help cover those costs.
Experts at the Matthew Reardon Center in Savannah say the earlier a person can start therapy and the longer they can afford to do it, the better off and more independent they will be as adults.
Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy, ABA, asses a child, coming up with an individual education plan and then helping a child self-manage autistic behaviors.
"We get calls from parents of three-year old's who don't have the financials means to pay for therapy," said Patti Victor, Matthew Reardon Center President.
The current law only requires that insurance providers cover autism treatment services until the age of six. That coverage cap is the lowest in the country, which means that families that send their children to the Matthew Reardon Center in Savannah for specialized therapy, can't afford the help that their child needs.
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