Senate votes to mandate autism coverage

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The Alabama Senate has voted to require insurers to cover autism therapy but only until the child turns 18.

Senators voted 33-1 Tuesday to mandate the coverage of applied behavioral analysis, an intensive therapy.

The House approved the bill unanimously earlier this session. It will now decide whether to go along with Senate changes to the bill.

Parents of children with autism have been fighting for insurance coverage of the therapy they say can be life-changing but at $100-per-hour is out of many families’ financial reach.

Insurance companies and business groups have raised concerns about costs.

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