Missouri currently prohibits insurance companies from limiting coverage or denying reimbursements to children with autism. A bill passed by the House and making its way through the Senate would extend those protections to kids with developmental or physical disabilities.
At a Senate hearing on Wednesday, a representative from the Thompson Foundation for Autism raised concerns that a section of the bill inadvertently gives insurance companies more power than they have now to deny claims.
Representative Chuck Basye sponsored the bill and says he may remove that section.
“They have some valid points so we’re working through that with the insurance lobby and I think we’re going to come to a solution because there’s a lot of my colleagues and fairly prominent individuals are watching this very close.”
A representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City says the insurance company would not use the legislation to deny claims and works with parents of children with autism to ensure services.
This is the third year the bill has been introduced. It passed in the House last month with very little opposition.