x-post: Wisconsin ACTION alert- March 3 & 4 for Autism Insurance Mandate

[Guest guest]

Action alert for SB 178 Wisconsin Autism Insurance Mandate

Please contact WI State Assembly members on Monday, Mar. 3 or Tuesday, Mar. 4

before the mandate comes before the Assembly for debate on Wednesday, Mar. 5,

2008.

Below find messages from Nissan Bar-Lev, ASW Legislative Committee and Dr. Glen

Sallows, WEAP, describing the surprise amendment of SB 178 which deletes the

insurance coverage clauses, replacing them with a one-time diversion of DHFS

funds.

The messages provide talking points for WI families to refer to when asking

legislators to restore and support the original version of the Wisconsin Autism

Insurance Mandate, SB 178.

Email and telephone numbers of Wisconsin State Assembly members

http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/contact/EmailDirectory.aspx?house=assembly

History of WI SB178

http://tinyurl.com/3cmart

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Messages from

1. Nissan Bar-Lev, ASW Legislative Committee and

2. Dr. Glen Sallows, WEAP

" Friday February 28, Wisconsin Assembly Republicans moved to REPLACE the autism

insurance mandate with proposal that would instead add $6 million in funding for

the waiver in addition to requiring DHFS to publish brochures advising parents

on how they could work at home with their children on therapy.

This measure is still in front of the legislature and we expect debate to resume

on

**Wednesday, March 5, 2008**

Wisconsin families impacted by autism need to reach out once again to all

Wisconsin State Representatives and tell them that the amendment to SB 178 will

not address the long term and serious issues of providing meaningful autism

treatment in this state.

While we appreciate more funding for the waiver program, this proposal will not

help the long term funding issues or provide relief for post-intensive or adult

citizens with autism.

Below are some talking points to use when reaching out to legislative offices

along with some things to keep in mind.

TALKING POINTS:

1. Main Theme--Autism is an epidemic. One time funding is a band aid.

You don't treat an epidemic with a band aid.

a. Without insurance coverage, the waiting list will continue to grow

every year as more children are diagnosed with autism. A one time increase

in funding will not address long term issues with the waiting list.

b. We are disappointed that Assembly Republicans are taking a band

aid approach and siding with insurance companies instead of the families who

are facing the challenges of autism everyday.

c. Additional money for the waiver is not a bad thing and we appreciate the

gesture of support, but more money for one year will not solve the long term

funding crisis that is depriving children across the state of necessary

treatment. This funding increase leaves out post-intensive children and

adults with autism.

2. It has been suggested that only 30% of families (those who have

group health plans) would be covered by a mandate and that other families

would then not receive treatment-THIS IS PATENTLY FALSE-families who are not

covered by the mandate would continue to receive services under the waiver.

a. In fact, with insurance coverage for autism services, those families covered

by group health plans would be able to utilize insurance coverage thus freeing

up waiver funding for newly diagnosed families and those under self-funded

insurance plans or those who lacked coverage.

3. Autism is growing problem and utilizing short term fixes is only

going to make matters worse over the long run.

4. We want you to support insurance coverage for children with

autism.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

· Be polite and non-threatening.

· Share your personal story.

· Be respectful of their efforts to provide more funding through the waiver.

Simply explain that it is a " band aid " solution.

Even if you just contacted your legislator, you should contact them again. The

proposed amendment is a dramatic change to the autism insurance mandate and they

should know that you are aware of the change and that it is unacceptable to you.

Nissan Bar-Lev

ASW Legislative Committee "

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From: Dr. Glen Sallows

Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 5:56 PM

Subject: one more time for autism insurance

" Hi everybody,

We were at the Capitol yesterday pressing Assembly representatives on the

insurance issue and several borderline people came around. However, the

Republicans, who control the Assembly, pulled a fast one by voting for a

" substitute amendment " . That is, they threw out the insurance bill passed by

the Senate and replaced it with one written by Senator Dan Kapanke (R, La

Crosse), Kitty Rhoades (R, Hudson) and MIke Huebsch (R, West Salem). The new

bill does not mention insurance coverage, instead calling for Gov. Doyle to

divert $6,000,000 from DHFS' current budget to pay for autistic children on the

waiting list. Together with the Federal match, this is enough to cover all 365

children on the waiting list for ONE year. This is a ONE TIME infusion of cash,

so there would be NO FUNDING for the second year for these children. The

Republican bill also directs DPI to write a pamphlet telling parents what they

can do to treat their children at home themselves. The

Democrats tried to add the original insurance bill on to the Republican bill,

but this move was ruled inappropriate.

The Assembly will probably vote on the bill next Wednesday (March 5, 2008), so

NOW is the time for you and your staff, your families, their friends and

relatives to call their Representatives to say thanks for the promised infusion

of funds, but this doesn't solve the problem. Insurance is the best answer, 18

other states have it, the increase in premiums is minimal (less than 1%), and

any families who can take advantage of insurance reduces the number who have to

rely on the waiver, thereby reducing the waiting list.

Republicans are under heavy pressure from the insurance lobby to oppose a

mandate, and many are against mandates of any kind anyway based on the notion

that government should not tell private citizens how to run their businesses.

However, this is a weak argument since the government tells private businesses

what to do all time for the good of the public, e.g., businesses can't hire

child workers, cars have to have seatbelts and catalytic converters, the FDA

tells pharmaceutical companies they have to run safety trials of all new

medicines, food processing plants must meet standards of cleanliness and all

manufacturers have to meet OSHA standards for the safety of employees.

The Republican bill turns treatment of autistic children into a political

football by tossing it back in Gov. Doyle's lap, so he will have to be the one

to either cut DHFS programs for other disabled citizens or not pass the autism

bill. Either way, the Republicans get to make him look bad, while they get to

say that they offered to clear the waiting list (with other peoples' money.) The

Republicans are hoping that this move will provide " political cover " for them

with the autism community in the next election.

The ASW, Weap, ANGEL, Friends of Autism and other groups have already responded,

saying that the Republican plan does not solve the long term problems with the

waiver. The waiting list will return when the one time funding stops, and will

continue to grow. A one-time infusion of funds is a " band-aid " approach to a

long term problem. Call your representative and tell him or her that you are

disappointed with this band-aid idea and that you want insurance coverage for

autistic children so that they can get full treatment, counseling and health

care throughout their lives.

Now is the time. They vote next Wednesday. Please have your staff and families

call on Monday or Tuesday (March 3rd or 4th).

It will not be easy to convince the Republicans to do the right thing, but we

won't know what we can accomplish if we don't try.

Thanks for everything you do. "

Glen Sallows