creat an Autism Insurance Mandate for self funded as well as as state plans.

In many states children with Autism can be diagnosed after lengthy evaualtions with a permenant disability that requires extensive therapy. 1 in 110 children have Autism, 1 in 6 have a neurodevopmental disorder. Insurance companies are allowed, self funded or state to drop coverage after age 6-7 for therapy forcing families to afford the severe financial burden of attempting to continue therapy programs with evidence based results like ABA, OT, SP and PT. Many familys cannot continue to pay expensive office visit fees and children fall through the cracks, their speach, cognitive, behavoriial and sensory issues becoming less adaptable as time goes on. A federal mandate on the diagnosis would stop this injustice and provide coverage where it is really needed.