Help With Autism

Yesterday, Oklahoma House Speaker Chris Benge (R – Tulsa) decided to not put a bill that would require health insurance providers to autistic children. 

Though the bill had previously passed the state Senate, Benge stated that autism mandate would increase the cost of insurance for other citizens and instead offered to form a task force that would research rising health care costs and uninsured people.

Parenting a child with autism is not easy or affordable, as most parents take time off of work to properly care for their children; currently, in Oklahoma, insurance carriers can deny coverage of autistic children.  Several states including Florida and Texas have passed similar mandates.

Elected officials in New York’s Nassau County are delving into the controversial issue that a autism vaccination could cause autism in children. Legislator David Mejias and assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg met with the parents of children who claim that their children’s autism was caused by vaccinations.

This is the latest news in state government stepping into autism research and support. Last week, the Florida state senate passed SB 1291, a bill that would mandate autism coverage by major health insurance carriers.