Aloha,
Senate Bill 668 was passed with amendments (not posted yet what they are) out of committee and now the sister bill House Bill 721 is up for hearing in front of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce on Wednesday February 6, 2:30pm House Conference Room 325.
I encourage you to share your voice with your representatives and through written testimony (in person available to Oahu residents able to brave the traffic). Submitting testimony online is actually quite easy. You can either upload your own document or simple click "comments only" and type in your comments.
The bill would mandate insurance provide coverage up to $50,000 per year for Autism Treatment. While the language today is broad there is always the possibility it can be amended to box families in to particular types of treatments limiting freedom of choice (see page 5, lines 3-7). It would further be encouraging if line 5 read, "including but not limited to applied behavior analysis". For no other population do we see legislators taking freedom of treatment choices from a parent, individual or licensed experienced professional. Every individual is unique and their treatment protocol should reflect thei unique needs.
Families and individuals deserve the trust and the right to pursue what is best for them.
Families and individuals deserve the trust and the right to pursue what is best for them.
It is so exciting that Hawai'i may join the many states that mandates insurance coverage for autism treatment. I am hopeful it will continue to respect the individual needs of persons on the spectrum and their families to work with professionals and pursue whichever evidenced based practices suit their needs.
Best,
Lauren Wilson
Testimony may be submitted until Tuesday February 5, 2:30pm to be available and considered before the hearing. Late testimony may also be submitted after 2/5.
You may also email members of the committee:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/committeepage.aspx?comm=CPC
You may also email members of the committee:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/committeepage.aspx?comm=CPC
You may submit testimony here: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/submittestimony.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=721
You may view the bill here: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2013/Bills/HB721_.pdf
Lauren Wilson, MSW
RDI Program Certified Consultant
808.264.3007
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