An Update from the Nebraska Insurance Reform Steering Committee…

Hi Everyone.  As you may have heard, today Senator Colby Coash introduce a bill requiring insurance companies cover individuals with Autism up to age 21.  Most of you are involved in organizations that will have special interest in this, so please copy and paste the following and send out to your list servs or contacts.  Thanks to you all for the support over the last couple of (grueling) weeks!

Nebraska’s LB 1129–Insurance Coverage for Individuals with Autism!!

Today, Senator Colby Coash introduced LB 1129 that requires insurance companies to cover individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders up to age 21.  The bill covers screening, diagnosis/evaluation and treatments, including evidence based behavior therapies such as ABA.  This has been a long time coming in Nebraska, and we are so grateful to Senator Coash for standing up for Nebraska’s families who are affected by autism! (To read a copy of the bill, go to www.nebraska.gov and search for LB 1129).

Currently, the bill reads that children up to age 9 will be covered up to $70,000 per year, and those from age 10-21 have a financial cap of $20,000.  However, Senator Coash has already agreed to introduce an amendment that would cover individuals for the first three years of treatment, up to $70,000 per year, regardless of age (up to age 21). After the first three years of treatment, each individual will be covered for up to $20,000 per year. The financial cap ONLY applies to treatment, and not to diagnosis or screening.

As you probably know, introducing the bill is just the beginning. We have a lot of work to do!!  Many have asked how you can help.  The Banking and Insurance Committee will be holding a hearing to discuss the bill, and your efforts are needed!  We don’t have a date yet, but as soon as we do, we will pass it along, and ask for you to send an email to your Senator, and if possible, attend the hearing.  We want to have lots of people in the audience representing our families, and showing our State Senators that we are unified!

PLEASE Like our Facebook page, Autism Insurance Reform in Nebraska, and continue to check email and our website for more updates.  Our website will go live soon, hopefully on Friday, and there you can get additional information.  (www.nebraskainsurancereform.org) .  If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at chrissy@neinsurance.com.

Thanks to everyone for all your support and hard work!  Those letters you wrote a month ago were great, and your voices were heard!!

Best Regards,

Chrissy McNair

An update from Chrissy McNair and the Autism Insurance Reform Steering committee…

First, a BIG thank you to all parents and professionals who attended the hearing last week, and to all who wrote letters!  Although we didn’t quite get the turn out we were hoping for, the hearing was a HUGE success! According to the representative who was there from Autism Speaks, our hearing was the  best he’s seen yet! The Senators were very engaged, asked great questions, and I think the ground work has been laid for a bill to be introduced in January.

So, here are our next steps:  We are working hard to determine what Senator would be best to sponsor our bill, and on getting feedback from the Banking and Insurance Committee on how they feel we should proceed.  We are working with Autism Speaks to get national data to help build our case.  The Nebraska legislative session begins in January, and shortly after the session begins, we will be given another hearing date to present our case, once again, to the Committee. This time, the discussion will center around the bill we propose.  WE WILL NEED YOU!!

As soon as we know the date, we will send out information letting you where and when the hearing will be. PLEASE ATTEND IF YOU CAN!

Thanks again for all your efforts!

If you have questions, please contact me at cmcnair@neb.rr.com or Kristin Flott at tkflott@cox.net.

You can also check out our Facebook page  ”Autism Insurance Reform in Nebraska”  for updates and Information… Be sure to LIKE it!

We Need You!  On Wednesday, November 30th at 1:30pm the Banking and Insurance Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature will be hearing testimony about Nebraska’s insurance coverage for people with autism.  We want to send the message to our State Senators that we are united and it is time that insurance companies stop discriminating against people with autism and provide coverage for necessary therapies.

PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND!  We want to pack the room with parents, family members, neighbors.  Here’s what you can do:

1. PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND!  The hearing will be in the State Capitol Building at 1:30pm on Wednesday, November 30th.  Most likely, the hearing will last only an hour or so.

2.  WEAR RED!  This is a way for the Senators to easily see who supports insurance coverage.

3.  WRITE A LETTER!  Please write up a short email addressed to the “Banking and Insurance Committee Members.”  Tell them in your email why you believe insurance companies should cover people with autism.  Tell them the impact not having coverage has had on your family. (send to cmcnair@neb.rr.com no later than Monday, November 28th) .

4.  ASK YOUR FAMILY/FRIENDS TO WRITE EMAILS TOO!  Have them send a short email as well on your behalf.  The more letters we get, the better! (send to cmcnair@neb.rr.com)

5.  SEND YOUR EMAIL/LETTER to cmcnair@neb.rr.com We will print off all these letters, bring them to the hearing, and submit them during testimony.  YOUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD!!!

If you cannot attend, please send the emails anyway by Monday, November 28th. If you have any questions, please contact Chrissy McNair at cmcnair@neb.rr.com or Kristin Flott at kristin.maylebenflott@unmc.edu.  Your voice is important!  This is not going to be easy, and it will take the entire community, united together, to be heard.

Participants needed for a Research Study – An examination of the Relationship between Sensory Processing and Emotional Regulation in Children with Autism

Seeking:     Parents with a child between ages 5 – 10

a.  Either typically developing (no disabilities)

b.  with Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorder

c.  be able to complete one time surveys regarding child’s behavior

Estimated time:  40 – 45 minutes

Please download a flyer HERE.

Come and learn how to tell your own/your child’s story to other caregivers and local elected officials.  Have your voices heard!

The Mosaic MEE! (Nebraska Advocacy Project) is an opportunity for individuals, parents, and guardians of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities to build relationships with elected officials. You’ll receive resources to assist you along the way.

Tuesday, October 4th @ 2:00pm

Presented by: Sheila Page

Legislative Aide to State Senator Colby Coash

Download a flyer HERE.

**Future Webinars**

Building Collaborations and Working Together Through Difficulties
Tuesday, November 1st @ 2:00pm
By: Bridget Cannon-Hale, MSW; Consultant

Building Relationships with Your State Senators
Wednesday, December 6th @ 2:00pm
Presented by: Denny Byars
Former State Senator for NE Legislature

Walk Now for Autism

—-—-

Autism Puzzle Walk

Why are there two autism walks? 

What is the difference?

Autism Speaks WALK NOW FOR AUTISM — October 9, 2011

   This walk supports Nebraska families by…

· funding global research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism

· raising public awareness about autism

· supporting insurance legislation efforts in various states. In 2011 they began working with Autism Action Partnership on this initiative here in Nebraska.

· Providing community grants that are awarded to service providers throughout the United States.

100% of the walk proceeds are used by the Autism Speaks national organization in carrying out their global mission.

Autism Society of Nebraska AUTISM PUZZLE WALK — April 28, 2012

   This walk supports Nebraska families by…

· facilitating a support network across Nebraska.  The Autism Society funds support groups across the state and has helped created family events such as pool parties, pumpkin patch outings, holiday gatherings, movie nights and family events at local attractions.  Local groups have joined forces with other organizations to create Fire Safety Days, Day Camps, Husker Heroes, Sleeping with the Sharks as well as helping sponsoring the Lose the Training Wheels camp.

· keeping the Nebraska Autism Community networked through our web site, electronic Newsgram, Yahoo list serve and Facebook page.

· creating conferences and workshops to bring training to our local community in conjunction with other Nebraska advocacy and educational groups.

· providing family and individual scholarships for Nebraska citizens.

· NEW in 2012!  Providing community grants to teachers and service providers who serve the local Nebraska autism community.

100% of the walk proceeds are used by the Nebraska chapter of the Autism Society in carrying out their local mission.

The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act allows for significant federal appropriations meant to assist all individuals affected by autism. The law focuses on expanding research and coordination at the National Institutes of Health, increasing awareness and surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and expanding the interdisciplinary training of health professionals to identify and support children with ASD and their families. On September 30, there will be an immediate hard stop of this federal funding. That means some existing federal efforts through the previously noted agencies will be forced to cease their efforts.

To preserve the progress that has been made, the Autism Society believes the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2011 (S. 1094/HR 2005) must be enacted urgently.

Visit the Autism Society of America link below where they have an electronic tool to help you customize an email to your local respresentatives.  It truly only takes a couple of minutes to be heard! 

As of today, neither of our senators have signed on!  Tell them that you need their support!

Click here to tell your Nebraska Reps that you are out here and you need their support!

The IDEA National Survey Project is sponsored by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Down Syndrome Society, Autism Society of America, Autism National Committee, and The Advocacy Institute. The purpose is to study whether parents perceive the playing field as level for children with disabilities and their parents, and whether they believe their rights are protected. The survey will examine what parents and those who work with parents think about these issues. The deadline for completing the survey is July 12, 2011.

The survey will examine whether parents perceive themselves as being treated as equal partners in their children’s education, and what self-advocates and those who work with parent think. We ask questions about whether the rights of students with disabilities and their parents protected throughout the special education process, including IEP meetings, decisions about special education, evaluations and eligibility, and Due Process and Impartial Hearings. We also ask about inclusion and whether children with disabilities receive the education they need, or whether they are deprived of important services. We will be using your answers to compile a report about the experiences and perceptions of parents and those who work with them regarding these issues. See the survey Privacy Policy for more information.

All disabilities are welcome! The survey is not limited to the disabilities on which the sponsoring organizations focus. We are studying these issues as they affect all children with disabilities and special needs. We also have surveys for all members of the community.

Click here to take the survey!

Checkout the AWESOME float the North Platte Autism Society group put together for this weekend’s Nebraskaland Day’s Parade!  GREAT JOB!

Don’t forget to help us celebrate World Autism Day!  You can still sign up and join us at the State Capitol as it lights the top of the building blue in honor of World Autism Day. 

Friday, April 1st 7pm in Lincoln

Members from the Autism Family Network and the Autism Society of Nebraska will also be meeting outside on the west side (S 14th Street) of the Capitol at 7pm to show our support with glow sticks as our State Capitol lights up blue. 

To register for this event go to www.lightitupblue.org.  On the right hand side under “participate” you will see some featured events such as the Empire State Building.  Click o View All at the bottom which will take you to a new page and then click on Nebraska State Capitol and sign up!  we would love to make a chain of support around the Capitol and raise autism awareness!   We are hoping our blue will shine across the state!