LIVE: New Hope for Autism Families in ND

Do you know a family that could be eligible for more help?

It’s a change to North Dakota’s health care laws that could pave the way for a brighter future for families with autism.
That, after North Dakota insurance officials this week made it mandatory for health insurance providers to include autism treatment in plans sold to North Dakotans.
Parents who worked to help pass the legislation say their child’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is a tough one to hear from a doctor.
But, with therapy and treatment, children with autism can develop skills that can help them interact more easily with people around them. It’s treatment that makes a critical difference in their ability to lead a better life. Unfortunately, therapy is also very expensive. And until last week, North Dakota was one of a handful of states that has failed to change its laws to reflect those needs for its families.

Beth Mauch, the mother of a child with autism and a parent advocate who worked on the project to help pass mandatory autism coverage, sat down with the Morning Show’s Emily Welker for a live in-studio interview about why this news could change the lives of families right here in our region.