Mounting therapy costs are forcing an Oklahoma family to leave the state after their efforts to pass a law mandating insurance coverage of autism treatments failed.

For years, Wayne Rohde championed efforts in Oklahoma to pass legislation mandating that health insurers in the state cover autism treatments. However, the legislation has yet to pass.

Rohde says his family spends $40,000 a year on autism treatments for his son Nick. In the process, he has burned through retirement accounts and sold off other assets to pay for therapies.

But the financial burden has become too much and now Rohde says his family is moving to Minnesota at the end of July because the state is more “autism friendly.”

“We don’t want to leave. It’s bittersweet, but we have to. Nick’s going to be doing so much better,” Rohde told (Oklahoma City) News 9. To read more click here.

Read more stories like this one. Sign up for Disability Scoop's free email newsletter to get the latest developmental disability news sent straight to your inbox.