This is because in 2013 the *definition* of autism was expanded to include Asperger's, CDD, PDD-NOS, and the Autistic Disorder.
Numbers went up because the definition changed to include more variants. And testing and awareness of Autism just got better over time. This is insane.
Right now, Republicans in Congress are trying to push through a bill that would put millions of Americans at risk of losing their health care.
They want to cut federal funding for Medicaid, take away tax credits that help more people afford coverage, and raise costs for working class families.