WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |Autism help bill
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LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) - For the Mason family, autism is something they live with everyday.
Jessie Mason says, "It's been a long struggle. It's been hard. He still is the beautiful, bouncing boy I wanted, but some of my hopes have been changed around."
The disorder has put some strain on the Viroqua family emotionally and financially.
Representative Jennifer Shilling says she's heard many stories similar to the Mason's.
Shilling says, "Husbands and wives have had to make a tough decision. If they can't afford treatment, it's typically a mother or father who will becomes trained in this
treatment."
Shilling says this bill will ease the financial pain families like the Mason's face and make early intervention more of an option.
Advanced Senior Therapist with Wisconsin Early Autism Project John Nicklay says, "All the research out there shows that earlier the intervention begins for autism, the more
successful those treatment will become. If you allow the child to sit two, three years, they become locked deep into their autistic world."
The bill will require individual and group health insurance polices and plans to cover the cost of treatment for insured person with autism.
It would raise prices on premiums.
Shilling says, "We're running numbers to see what the would be. Early numbers we're seeing is couple dollars a month on an insurance premium."
But, Schilling says by paying a little now, taxpayers may save money in the long run.
Shilling says, "It will help when they get into school year that they don't have the special ed needs if we help on the front end with intervention. It helps save taxpayers
money down the road."
Mason says, "We all know how crucial it is to start young so very important to get in that window, while you can it's just so much easier."
Supporters of the bill hope it is passed so families like the Masons can focus more on treatment for thier children and not the cost.
In La Crosse, Sarah Alain... News 19.
