Legislative Advocacy
The Autism Advocacy & Law Center, LLC is working hard to increase affordable access to health care coverage for medically necessary care for all individuals who have autism. We believe that: individuals who have autism need options for treatment, therapy and services; families need more information about options for treatment, therapy and services; and, that these options must be more affordable. Autism is treatable, so let’s treat it.
As the 2012 Legislative session unfolds, the AALC is working hard to prevent further deterioration to affordable access to medically necessary care for autism. We are also working to improve affordable access.
Please subscribe to RSS feeds (in the sidebar) to get updates on legislative advocacy. Additional information about legislative advocacy is posted regularly to this site’s blog, which you can view by clicking here.
Private Insurance Coverage for Autism
The AALC is advocating for passage of legislation to improve the ability of children with autism to receive medically necessary care. One important bill is House File 1071, which is being carried by Rep. Kim Norton. H.F. 1071/ S.F. 1020 requires private health insurance plans to provide medically necessary care for children with autism. The bill language can be accessed here: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/getbill.php?number=HF1071&session=ls87&version=list&session_number=0&session_year=2011.
Click on this link for a fact sheet with answers to frequently asked questions concerning the Autism Healthcare Protection Act. Fact Sheet on Autism Healthcare Protection Act.
This bill is not perfect and requires some revisions going forward — but it is a good start. The Autism Advocacy & Law Center would like to see Governor Dayton include similar language in his budget so that all individuals who have autism will have private insurance coverage for medically necessary care.
Preventing Cuts to Medical Assistance
Currently children who have autism enrolled in Medical Assistance have coverage for “skills training” — a generic term that includes various types of early intervention as well as social skills training and other types of treatments. The Department of Human Services is in the process of reforming Medical Assistance (MA) and is moving forward with reform efforts that could eliminate coverage for early intervention and other types of “skills training” from regular Medical Assistance. The alternative could be that children either don’t receive early intervention or that they would have to get a waiver in order to have access to early intervention. The Autism Advocacy & Law Center needs your help to fight against reductions in coverage under Medical Assistance. Please join us for Tuesdays at the Capitol to add your voice to this effort.
Essential Benefits Set
Under federal health care reform, Minnesota has the opportunity to define the “essential health care benefits set” that all private health insurance plans must cover. As Minnesota moves forward with this effort, the big question for the Autism Advocacy & Law Center is whether children who have autism will have private health care coverage for evidence-based, medically necessary care?If you care about this question, please sign up for action alerts to keep informed.
On Tuesday, January 31st, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services received an update on the Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Task Force from Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman. The Task Force consists of 15 members appointed by the Commissioner, including consumers, employers, labor, health care providers, health insurers, those with experience navigating health plan enrollment, and experts. The Task Force is also supported by ten technical work groups, designed to increase the involvement of stakeholders. Although the Task Force has begun meeting, there is still significant uncertainty about the format of the Health Insurance Exchange and how the essential benefits set will be defined.
The future of private insurance coverage for individuals who have autism may hang in the balance of this process.
Join Us at the Capitol!
We are at the Capitol everyday and would love to help you facilitate a meeting with your legislators so that you can share your story. Contact us anytime to arrange assistance by sending an email to: meredithsalmi@arcgreatertwincities.org. Meredith can help you find out who your legislators are or you can find out yourself by clicking on this link.
Tuesdays at the Capitol
February 14, 2012 through May 8, 2012 – Special Kick-Off Event February 28th! (see blog for details)
JOIN US! – Each Tuesday during the legislative session, the Autism Advocacy & Law Center (AALC) will join with the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MN-CCD) at the Capitol to help people share their stories about the importance of disability services with legislators and to ensure there is a disability community presence at the Capitol.
AGENDA
10:00am Welcome and introduction with MN-CCD leaders in the State Office Building Basement Cafeteria – (right side of the room)
10:30am – 12pm Meet with your legislators and share your personal story
12:00pm – 1pm (Optional) Lunch in the Department of Transportation Cafeteria
1:00pm (Optional) Advocates are encouraged to attend hearings or meet with their legislators if they were unable to do so in the morning
ADVOCATES WILL
- Provide ‘talking points’ about autism issues and disability services and tips on how to tell your story
- Provide a daily schedule highlighting relevant committee hearings
- Provide “Disability Matters- Independence Costs Less’ stickers
- When relevant, provide materials specific to certain legislation
- Be available from 12 -1 for Q and A in the Department of Transportation Cafeteria
YOU WILL
- Learn how to find and meet your legislator
- Share your personal story with your legislator
- Educate yourself about disability programs and services
- Become an effective advocate for yourself and the broader disability community
Email Meredith at meredithsalmi@arcgreatertwincities.org to sign up for one or more Tuesdays at the Capitol. Advocates are encouraged to set up meetings with legislators in advance (contact Meredith for assistance). While we hope you can join us at 10 a.m., you are welcome to join in at any time.
FIND OUT WHO YOUR LEGISLATOR IS BY CLICKING HERE
TELLING YOUR STORY
This year the Autism Advocacy & Law Center, LLC is working with parents of children who have autism to focus on improving private and public insurance coverage of medically necessary care for autism. Looming changes to private and public insurance coverage are threatening coverage for ABA (applied behavior analysis) and IEIBT (intensive early intervention behavior therapy) and so this year we are specifically focused on this issue. If you are having difficulty with this or other issues, please join our advocacy efforts!
As the Minnesota Legislature considers autism health insurance reform, it is essential that the families of children with autism inform their legislators about the needs of their children and the shortcomings of private health insurance.
One way you can help is to simply tell your story. Below are some points that you can address if you get to talk to the legislators:
- Greet the legislators, and tell them that you are a parent of a child with autism.
- Describe the needs of your child with autism; mention your child by name.
- Tell the legislators about the services that your child receives, and what those services have done for your child and for your family.
- Tell the legislators that you pay your premiums for private insurance and it ought to cover medically necessary care and treatment for children with autism.
- If you have had difficulty in getting ABA/IEIBT or another type of therapy or treatment for your child, or have had to wait a very long time for that therapy, tell the legislators about your experience.
- Tell the legislators that every child should have affordable access to medically necessary care for autism.
- Ask the legislators to “Please Support House File 1071/Senate File 1020 for inclusion in the Governor’s budget.”
- Ask the legislators to support choosing SEGIP to define the essential health care benefits set.
- Ask the legislators to fight against cuts in Medical Assistance for children who have autism.
Be sure to note whether the legislator agrees to support our positions and tell your organizer what they agreed to do.
Thank you!!
For a hand-out on “Telling Your Story” that you can print off and bring to the Capitol, click on this link: Telling your story.
Amy Dawson is the parent of twins, one of whom has autism and special health care needs. She began practicing law in 1992 at the firm of Faegre & Benson, L.L.P. in Minneapolis. She also worked at the PACER Center and is a member of the Board of the Arc Greater Twin Cities. Amy’s law practice focuses on issues related to autism, disabilities, insurance and estate planning.
Bob Gunderson inspired me to devote my practice to individuals who have disabilities, their families, and the organizations that serve them. Bob Gunderson was my mentor, friend and colleague and I miss him very much. Bob Gunderson served the disability community as an attorney, as a brother, and as a dedicated volunteer who spent many hours in service to organizations such as Opportunity Partners, Fraser, PACER, and the Arc of Minnesota and Arc Greater Twin Cities.