Emergency autism legislation signed to make way for insurance coverage

It's a victory for parents of autistic children.
    The Governor, this week, signed emergency legislation that fixed a flaw in a bill that provides insurance coverage for autism treatment.

    It's going to be a huge help for plenty of families and will allow parents to afford educational services, like the ones offered here at the Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center in Roanoke County.

"It's very essential and it's very needed.  For a student to have one on one it's continuous instruction, it's ongoing instruction.  And it's not just instruction.  It's data collection and it's management and it's seeing where the student is progressing, where are they regressing.  It's constant analysis of what's going on," said Tiffany Coleman, Program Director.

    The bill would also cover occupational, speech, and other therapies for children ages 2 to 6.
    The maximum benefit was capped at $35,000 each year.