Autism Bill - PAY ATTENTION AND TAKE ACTION

To those most concerned with the Autism Insurance Bills HB 1291 SB 2654 going through our Florida Legislature
 
Bill Text: http://www.flsenate.gov/session/index.cfm?Mode=Bills&Submenu=1&BI_Mode=ViewBillInfo&Billnum=1291&Year=2008
 
 
I have visited Tallahassee twice in since the beginning of session working on the Autism Insurance Bills moving through the legislature this year.  This year can be our year and will happen if we all work as a TEAM to communicate our concerns with our legislators.  I met with Bob and Suzanne Wright of Autism Speaks this weekend and they are committed to getting this done this year!
 
Both SB 2654 and HB 1291 passed in the State House and Senate Committees last week!! These bills will reform Florida state law to provide appropriate insurance coverage for children with autism for treatments and therapies including applied behavioral analysis therapy.
 
This is not the end of the fight, it is just the beginning.  We will have one more committee in the Senate and two in the House.  The biggest concern is getting the bill scheduled in the house for a vote in the Health Care Council.
 
WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY?
 
The message is simple right now. 
 
1)    Contact the Speakers Office and Rep. Bean’s Office and ask them to Agenda the bill in the House Health Care Council (Speaker and Rep. Bean) Contact Info below
2)    Contact your state representative and ask them to sign on as co-sponsors Current Co-Signors
Porth; (CO-SPONSORS) Anderson; Brandenburg; Chestnut;
  Coley; D. Davis; Fitzgerald; Flores; L. Garcia; Gibbons; Heller; Jenne;
  Kiar; Kriseman; Llorente; Machek; Nehr; Planas; Robaina; Sachs;
  Schwartz; Scionti; Vana; Williams; Zapata 
3)    Contact the legislators listed below and ask them to Vote YES – House Health Care Council members
4)    Set an appointment to see your legislator face to face with your kids in Tallahassee or while they are home during off days and over the weekends.  It is important that they see the realities of Autism and what our kids are going through!
 
Please forward this email to every person that can contact our legislators as possible!  We need those people living in their district to contact their own State Representative and ask them to support this HB 1291 and SB 2654.
 
 
Speaker of the House
Rep. Marco Rubio Represents Miami-Dade County   Very important that Speaker Rubio commits to asking Rep. Bean to bring the bill to the floor for a vote!
Marco.rubio@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-1450 Capitol
(305) 442-6939 District Office
Representatives: Healthcare Council

Chair
Bean, Aaron P. (R) I have met with Rep. Bean.  He is very nice, attentive, and looking for a solution.  However, he has not committed to allowing this bill to be heard.
Represents the Jacksonville Area
Email aaron.bean@myfloridahouse.gov
(904) 491-3664 District Office
(850) 488-0335 Capitol Office

Vice Chair
Zapata, Juan C. (R)         co sponsor Thank him for his support
Represents Miami-Dade County
Email juan.zapata@myfloridahouse.gov
(305) 273-3288 District Office
(850) 488-9550 Capitol Office

Ausley, Loranne (D) Named as a member to the new Governor’s Task Force on Autism Spectrum Disorders
Democratic Ranking Member represents Gadsden, Jefferson, and Leon Counties
Loranne.ausley@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-3336 Capitol

Anderson, Thomas (R)         co sponsor Represents Pasco and Pinellas Counties Should be thanked for his support!
Tom.anderson@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-8528 Capitol
(727) 943-4760 District Office

Cusack, Joyce (D) Represents Volusia County
Joyce.cusack@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-0580 Capitol
(386) 943-7900 District Office

Galvano, Bill (R) Represents Hillsborough and Manatee Counties
Bill.galvano@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-4086 Capitol
(941) 708-4968 District Office

Garcia, Rene (R) Represents Miami-Dade County Chair of the Health Care Innovation Committee that voted 4-3 to pass our bill.  He was absent for hearing
Rene.garcia@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 487-2197 Capitol
(305) 827-2767 District Office

Gibson III, Hugh H. (R) Represents Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties
hugh.gibson@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-5991 Capitol
(352) 750-1671

Grimsley, Denise (R) Represents Collier, Glades, Hendry, & Highlands Counties
Denise.grimsley@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-3457 Capitol
(863) 385-5251 District Office

Harrell, Gayle B. (R) Represents Martin & St. Lucie Counties Has been a stalwart supporter of our Autism Issues for many years.
Gayle.harrell@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-8749 Capitol
(772) 873-6500 District Office

Hays, D. Alan (R) Represents Lake, Seminole, & Volusia Counties
alan.hayes@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-0348 Capitol
(352) 742-6441 District Office

Hooper, Ed (R) Represents Pinellas County
ed.hooper@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-1540 Capitol
(727) 724-3000 District Office

Hudson, Matt (R) Represents Broward & Collier Counties
matt.hudson@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-1028 Capitol
(239) 417-2990 District Office

Patronis, Jimmy (R) Represents Bay, Franklin, & Gulf Counties Voted against at first hearing
jimmy.patronis@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-9696 Capitol
(850) 914-6300 District Office

Porth, Ari Abraham (D) Represents Broward County The Bill’s sponsor and should be thanked and congratulated on championing this issue for our children!
ari.porth@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-2124 Capitol
(954) 346-2810

Roberson, Yolly (D) Represents Miami-Dade County
yolly.roberson@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-7088 Capitol
(305) 650-0022 District Office

Schwartz, Elaine J. (D) Represents Broward County
Elaine.schwartz@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-0465 Capitol
(954) 924-3813 District Office

Skidmore, Kelly (D) Represents Broward and Palm Beach County Co-Sponsor of the Bill and should be thanked for her support!
Kelly.skidmore@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-1032 Capitol
(561) 470-6593 District Office
 
Take a look at this Video!
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mw6jf5NdaI
 
 
Bob Kanjian
 
Very Concerned Dad!
 
Member of the Governor’s Task Force on Autism Spectrum Disorders
561 804 4593 direct
561 828 3155 fax
 
 
314 Clematis Street Suite 201
West Palm Beach, FL  33401

Autism Votes... It's time for lawmakes to listen.
 
Dear Florida Advocate,
 
Tomorrow, Thursday, April 10th is a HUGE day in Tallahassee for the autism insurance reform movement!
 
As you know, Senate Bill 2654, which will require insurance companies to provide coverage for autism-related services, including applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, will be heard before the Florida Senate Health & Human Services Appropriations Committee tomorrow afternoon (April 10) at 2:30 p.m.
 
Please continue with your phone calls and emails with regard to the alert we sent out yesterday.  Express your thanks for the demonstrated leadership of the Senate, the Speaker, and the Governor on this issue, as well as your concerns and your requests to have them support this legislation.  Visit www.autismvotes.org/florida for more information and links to Florida TAKE ACTION opportunities.
 
Additionally, the Speaker's Select Committee on Autism and Developmental Disorders will be meeting Thursday night, April 10th from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm in room 408 of the House Office Building to continue discussions regarding this issue. 
 
At the meeting, there will be an opportunity for public comment.   This is your chance to speak up and be heard!
 
How can you help on Thursday, April 10th?
 
Our community definitely needs to pack the rooms for both of these events and especially the evening meeting for the House Select Committee.  If you are within a couple of hours driving distance of Tallahassee, we need you to provide a physical presence for those elsewhere in the state that cannot travel the distance to be there in person.
 
Keep up the hard work and keep the pressure on!  We are nearing the home stretch!

I am so glad something is being done, but this bill does not provide coverage for families that work for a company that self insures and administers it's plan through an insurnce company. Most people are actually unaware if they fall into this category since your insurance card will say BCBS, or United Healthcare, etc.... This is currently 60% of the companies that provide health insurance to their workers in Florida. If  the bill passes it will likely become a higher percentage of people since companies will seek to avoid having to carry "mental health benefits" or autism coverage and switch to self insured plans.

We actually contacted the lawyers at Autism Speaks and they are aware of the loophole, but say nothing can be done about it right now. I think it is a shame for people to get their hopes up and then not get coverage if this bill passes.

 

wow!  i did not realize that...nor do I think anyone else did.  so what benefits would the bill passing then bring?

The bill would give the 40% of families that have health insurance through companies that don't self insure coverage. As companies catch on, they will likely switch to self insured plans and escape coverage through that loophole. The solution to the loophole is a bill currently on the federal level requiring every insurance plan to offer mental health parity benefits. This would require any company that offers any type of mental health benefits to also provide coverage for proven therapies for developmental delays. However, companies can also escape this requirement by simply not offerring any mental health benefits in a plan for any condition.

The summary for the Florida bill for the committee contains a sentence or two about the loophole for self insured companies. All of the legislators and lawyers are aware of loophole, as we found out when we contacted them.

 

Excellent information. Frankly there is no way that the insurance companies will ever cover therapy services. They are just too expensive for them to cover and the overall need is too great. How should we lend our weight to try and get those not covered by their insurance company (our does not cover any behavioral therapy, although we have found that to be most helpful).

Who have you found is the best person/place that i/we can talk to about these coverage issues. I feel I sometimes do not do enough to let my voice be heard.