(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Raising a child with disabilities can often mean hefty insurance bills and hours of therapy.
Dawn Rethman understands first hand what it's like to raise a son that has been diagnosed with a disability in the Autism Spectrum.
"My son lacks the ability to process life, normally. Social things that you and I take for granted, he has to be taught," said Dawn Rethman.
The treatments that teach developmentally disabled kids can be hard to access.
But a Missouri state law that mandated insurance coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorder treatments, made therapy more affordable.
"Individual policies vary from one to the next, and all insurance companies may not pay for it through every policy, but as a rule that is what the new law did," said Dr. James Smith, Performance Plus.
The law passed in 2010, and according to a report from the Missouri Department of Insurance, just last year, the demand for treatments went up more than 50-percent.
Giving families with Autistic children easier access to therapy like, Applied Behavior Analysis.
"Working with him on everything from writing, speaking, coloring to taking care of himself. Everything that you would want a child to do, that's what they do, and it can go up to all day, everyday," said Dr. Smith.
It's a form of therapy that is known to be extremely expensive but very effective, and prior to this law, it wasn't covered by insurance, making it very difficult for many to afford.
"For one thing, most of the families with Autistic children are just getting started, many of them don't have a lot of money, and it's expensive," said Dr. Smith.
More than 2,500 Autistic patients accessed treatment in 2012.
According to the state department of insurance, the Missouri Autism law will continue to deliver benefits to families impacted by autism.
Even though Autism insurance claims have risen, they account for less than 1-percent of total claims in Missouri paid by insurance companies.
Dawn Rethman understands first hand what it's like to raise a son that has been diagnosed with a disability in the Autism Spectrum.
"My son lacks the ability to process life, normally. Social things that you and I take for granted, he has to be taught," said Dawn Rethman.
The treatments that teach developmentally disabled kids can be hard to access.
But a Missouri state law that mandated insurance coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorder treatments, made therapy more affordable.
"Individual policies vary from one to the next, and all insurance companies may not pay for it through every policy, but as a rule that is what the new law did," said Dr. James Smith, Performance Plus.
The law passed in 2010, and according to a report from the Missouri Department of Insurance, just last year, the demand for treatments went up more than 50-percent.
Giving families with Autistic children easier access to therapy like, Applied Behavior Analysis.
"Working with him on everything from writing, speaking, coloring to taking care of himself. Everything that you would want a child to do, that's what they do, and it can go up to all day, everyday," said Dr. Smith.
It's a form of therapy that is known to be extremely expensive but very effective, and prior to this law, it wasn't covered by insurance, making it very difficult for many to afford.
"For one thing, most of the families with Autistic children are just getting started, many of them don't have a lot of money, and it's expensive," said Dr. Smith.
More than 2,500 Autistic patients accessed treatment in 2012.
According to the state department of insurance, the Missouri Autism law will continue to deliver benefits to families impacted by autism.
Even though Autism insurance claims have risen, they account for less than 1-percent of total claims in Missouri paid by insurance companies.
