DENVER — Raya Bernal’s 7‑year‑old son kept escaping from his car seat while she was driving on the highway. After searching for some time, the Denver mother found a crash‑tested adaptive seat that could keep him safe — but when she asked Colorado Medicaid to cover it, the state said no, calling the equipment “unsafe.”

“It got to that point where we were just not able to drive safely, even to go the grocery store,” Bernal said.

Her son, diagnosed with autism in 2021, learned to unclip himself and “hulk” his way free — sometimes while rolling down the highway.

The specialized seat her son's medical professionals recommended uses escape‑proof buckles and extra harnessing to meet federal crash‑test standards. The price tag? More than $4,000.

When her doctor and therapists submitted the pap

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