NEW FOCUS is to track the events and actions related to 111th Congress bills S.819 & H.R. 2413, the Autism Treatment Acceleration Acts....Purpose of this blog originally was to track the events and developments related to the not passed Oregon House Bill 3000 (HB 3000),
Requires health insurers and state medical assistance program to reimburse for diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session
Important heads-up fromAutism Votes! An urgent action item is coming!
Dear Autism Advocate,
HEALTH CARE REFORM UPDATE: Things are moving VERY quickly in the House now with health care reform and we need you to be ready to act at a moment's notice and give it everything you've got!
Last night, The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed an autism amendment offered by Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA), Chairman of the Congressional Autism Caucus and member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, to H.R. 3200, the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 - the House health care reform bill that is currently undergoing markup in the Energy and Commerce Committee. His amendment would set up national training initiatives on autism.
We anticipate that Congressman Doyle will introduce a very important amendment to the bill tomorrow that will SEEK TO END AUTISM INSURANCE DISCRIMINATION ONCE AND FOR ALL.
When that happens, we will need you to be ready to call following our direction AS FAST AND FURIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.
We will need to make a loud statement that want this amendment to be attached to the bill.
Our children deserve appropriate healthcare that provides them with access to the medical treatments and therapies that can help them live more productive and fulfilling lives. Keep every one of them in mind as we make our way through this next stage in the process. They are counting on you!
Stay Tuned!
Elizabeth Emken Vice President, Govenment Relations Autism Speaks
"...Autism Speaks is constantly adapting a strategy to give us the best chance of making this [autism insurance reform in health care reform] happen. The strategy may change every hour or it may appear redundant but there is a "method to the madness". The important thing is that as the troops, we stay alert and be ready to act when we get our mission plans..."
This is crunch time and if ever there was a time for concerted grassroots action and advocacy - this is it.
A message passed along by one of the state Advocacy Chairs of Autism Speaks...
"Thursday, July 16 2009
Autism is relentless. In order to effect a change at the national level, we must be relentless too.
The government relations team at Autism Speaks is monitoring the health care reform issue in D.C. very closely. A health care reform bill is going to pass - likely in the next several weeks. The issues we face as families affected by autism must be addressed in this bill.
Autism Speaks is constantly adapting a strategy to give us the best chance of making this happen. The strategy may change every hour or it may appear redundant but there is a "method to the madness". The important thing is that as the troops, we stay alert and be ready to act when we get our mission plans.
Today's mission
Make two phone calls. Call Speaker of the HouseNancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at the phone numbers below:
Just say this: "Hi, My name is ____________ ___. I am calling from (Your city, your state). I want you to know that health care reform that does not stop autism insurance discrimination is unacceptable. Thank you."
Be patient. Be polite. Keep dialing until you get through to them. Then do it again. If the voice mail box is full, call back and request that the receptionist take a message. Please send this message on to 15 other people.
Thanks and stay tuned!
Michael Wasmer, DVM Founder, The Kansas Coalition for Autism Legislation (KCAL) Autism Speaks Kansas Chapter Advocacy Chair www.autismvotes.org
URGENT ACTION REQUEST - CALL U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER PELOSI'S OFFICE to let her know that health care reform MUST include autism insurance reform! and PASS THIS MESSAGE FORWARD. THANK YOU!
From Autismvotes ------------ --------- --------- -------
"The health reform ship has sailed and autism insurance reform is currently NOT ON IT.
U.S. H.R. 3200 is currently IN MARK UP and our hope of achieving autism insurance reform for children with autism as part of the larger health reform initiative WILL REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT to the Resolution.
NOW MORE THAN EVER IS THE TIME TO,
CALL U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Office at 202-225-0100 and tell her office that health insurance reform that does not stop autism insurance discrimination is unacceptable.
You must get 20 people in your life MINIMUM to start calling NOW, and you must keep the PRESSURE UP and keep the PRESSURE ON if you want to see this for your children.
All you have to say is this simple message:
"Hi. My name is ________. I believe that health insurance that does not stop autism insurance discrimination is unacceptable and I am counting on Speaker Pelosi to be sure that children with autism have appropriate coverage for the treatments and therapies they deserve access to for their medical condition. Thank you." ------------ --------- -------
U.S. insurance inequity and reform in the international press,
"...Guaranteed insurance would make a significant difference to people like Valerie Goodness, a firefighter in Corvallis, Oregon, who was forced to leave her job because of her 13-year-old son's autism. When her employer changed insurance companies, the new one refused to cover his "pre-existing condition" -- a common dodge regarded as one of the system's great iniquities [sic].
Now, if she earns more than $1,000 (€717) a month, she will lose the insurance provided by Medicaid, a state programme for the poor.
"And there is no way I could earn a job that would pay enough for private nursing at $20 to $30 an hour," said Mrs. Goodness.
"I feel like I am forced into poverty just so I can get insurance..."
Today, Autism Speaks has launched its first national television advocacy campaign, "Neighbors", aimed at reaching millions of informed and politically active Americans and asking them to call Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and tell them that ending autism insurance discrimination must be part of Health Care Reform Legislation.
Autismvotesis alerting that phone calls from ALL autism families AND those of friends and extended family are crucial for our issue to be taken seriously and included in Health Care Reform. This is an opportunity that has huge significance for our children. The phone-in campaign kicks off TODAY and will be ongoing until autism insurance reform is included in health reform.
“Neighbors" depicts the consequences of insurance company discrimination against individuals with autism and calls on the American public to urge Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to end autism insurance discrimination in the upcoming health care reform legislation.
1. CALL HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA) & SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID (D-NV) AT THE PHONE NUMBERS BELOW!
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: (202) 225-0100
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: (202) 224-3542
If you aren't sure of what to say, just say this:
"Hi, My name is_______________. I am calling from(Your city, your state).I want you to know that health care reform that does not stop autism insurance discrimination is unacceptable. People with autism deserve coverage for the treatments and therapies that will help their medical condition. Thank you."
Be patient. Be polite. Keep dialing until you get through to them. Then do it again.
IMPORTANT: Make sure to add some personal information on why this is such an important issue for you and your family. Be sure to let them know that all children with autism from coast to coast deserve appropriate insurance coverage.
3. IMPORTANT: FORWARD THIS ACTION ALERT ACROSS THE COUNTRY!
Put this action alert on your Facebook page, Twitter it, forward to Yahoo groups and local support groups. Forward this email to at least 20 people that do NOT have a child with autism - neighbors, extended family, coworkers, old college and high school friends - and ask them to make these two calls every day for your child
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The health care reform debate in this country is reaching a fever pitch. Autism insurance reform can and MUST be included in the final health care reform bill that President Obama has stated he will sign by the end of October. THIS IS THE TIME to end autism insurance discrimination once and for all. Our children have a medical condition which deserves appropriate treatment, therapy and care. Congress needs to know that health care “reform” that fails to stop autism insurance discrimination is unacceptable.
To stay updated on this initiative and more, register at
Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, has launched a new national television advertising campaign highlighting private insurers blatant discrimination against children with autism and calling on the U.S. Congress to put an end to it as part of the broader health care reform effort. The thirty-second ad, Neighbors, will air nationally on CNN, CNBC, and MSNBC. '
A. States with passed legislation or statute that specify autism insurance reform, current as of July 1, 2009.
15 STATES
Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey [pending signature], New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin
B. States that would have that coverage if S. 819 and/or H.R. 2413 , the Autism Treatment Acceleration Acts pass in the 111th Congress. (In addition to pilot programs for teen transition and adult services).
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Don't forget to see the recent post on the CURRENT ACTION ITEM to contact our Oregon Delegation to Congress and urge their support of the ATAA. Thank you for your participation and action!
The news is from California, but the questions, and the tactics being used, are ubiquitous, so this is a lawsuit worth paying attention to.
Will Schwarzenegger and Obama Require Insurers to Pay for Autism Care? Jamie Court Huffington Post, July 1, 2009
Parents of autistic children gathered this morning at Consumer Watchdog's Los Angeles headquarters to announce a lawsuit against Governor Schwarzenegger's administration for allowing health insurers to refuse to pay for Applied Behavioral[sic] Analysis ("ABA"), an essential treatment for autism, in plain violation of the California Mental Health Parity Act.
Independent panels of doctors paid by California had been ruling in every autistic child's case that the ABA treatment was medically necessary[my emphasis], so insurers changed the rules of the game with the help of the Schwarzenegger administration. The insurers simply claimed the treatment wasn't covered, because it was educational in nature, and therefore independent panels of medical reviewers no longer had the power to overrule the insurance bureaucrats. (...)
Don't forget to see the recent post on the CURRENT ACTION ITEM to contact our Oregon Delegation to Congress and urge their support of the ATAA. Thank you for your action and your support!
We can do it and we can get there. Thanks for your help and your support!
IMPORTANT UPDATE!!
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The Senate Health Policy Commttee will meet TUES 3/6/12 at noon to once
again consider the autism insurance reform bills, but is NOT expected to
vote. Don'...
