Oklahoma Senate approves autism insurance coverage bill

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Senate has approved legislation that requires health insurers to cover the treatment of children with autism.

The Senate on Thursday voted 36-5 for the bill and returned it to the House for consideration of Senate amendments.

The legislation requires coverage for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder in individuals younger than 9 years old. Under the measure, children would have access to applied behavior analysis for up to 25 hours a week, with a limit of $25,000 a year.

Autism spectrum disorder affects how a person processes sensory information and their ability to interact and relate to others. Oklahoma is one of only seven states in the nation that does not require insurance companies to provide coverage to autistic children.