Nevada autism advocates push for bill that would mean insurance coverage of treatment

From KVBC-TV in Nevada:

Bobbi Osborn has a family that looks picture-perfect. She waited ten years to have her children, Bryce and Ben. She planned it that way, wanting to have a nice nest egg saved.

But that was then - before Autism changed her world. Now, after two years of Autism therapy for her two sons, Osborn is on the verge of bankruptcy.

"We're drained. Everything we've saved. It's like starting over. We've taken pretty much all of our 401(k), we've taken hardship withdrawals from our pension..."

The pieces of the puzzle fit. It's being forced to pay for her sons' Autism treatment that doesn't quite make sense to Osborn - and the 6,000 other families living in her world.

"Our children have double coverage, yet we can't get coverage for their therapies," she explains.

If Assembly Bill 162 passes, Nevada would join several other states that require Autism coverage. In front of lawmakers, advocates are pleading for support.

"You find out you're on your own," explains Steven Michaelman, FEAT of Southern
Nevada. "To find out about the services, fund it yourself - insurance companies don't help."

Nine-year-old Ciera Kalkowski adds, "Autism is like...it's like you're trapped inside this thing...and it's hard for you to learn and stuff."

As for Osborn, she takes each day as it comes, celebrating small milestones along the way and building the courage to conquer the ones up ahead.

"If I look back 20 years from now, I can say I did everything and I'll be proud of who they are."