- Target:
- Ohio lawmakers
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.autismvotes.org
House Bill 8 - Sponsored by Representative Ted Celeste (D-24) and Representative Nancy Garland (D-20), requires private health insurance companies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
Coverage of treatments will be provided when prescribed, provided, or ordered for an individual diagnosed with autism by a licensed physician or a licensed psychologist who determines the care to be medically necessary.
The bill includes coverage of the following treatments: Diagnosis, Habilitative or rehabilitative care, Pharmacy care, Psychiatric care, Psychological care, Therapeutic care, counseling services, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
The bill defines "medically necessary" as a services that is based upon evidence; is prescribed, provided, or ordered by a health care professional licensed or certified under Ohio law to prescribe, provide or order autism-related services in accordance with accepted standards of practice; and will or is reasonably expected to do any of the following:
- prevent the onset of an illness, condition, injury, or disability;
- reduce or ameliorate the physical, mental, or developmental effects of an illness, condition, injury, or disability; or
- assist to achieve or maintain maximum functional capacity in performing daily activities, taking into account both the functional capacity of the individual and the functional capacities that are appropriate for individuals of the same age.
The bill applies only to fully-funded individual and group health plans and multi employer welfare arrangements governed by state law.
To whom it may concern:
We, the students, faculty, and staff of The Ohio State University, are writing to urge you to support House Bill 8, the autism insurance reform bill.
HB 8 was introduced by State Representatives Ted Celeste (D) and Nancy Garland (D). This bill will help put an end to the discrimination in insurance coverage against children with autism and their families by requiring insurance companies to cover essential services for individuals with autism.
Families in your district, like ours, need your support of HB 8 in order to access the medically necessary, evidence-based autism treatments and therapies these children need to live a fulfilling life.
Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. When children with autism receive appropriate services they can make great gains and improve significantly. Without such services, however, the prognosis is not as good. If all interested parties share in the cost of care for individuals with autism, then everyone will see a reduction in overall costs. All families across Ohio will see a reduction in the need for special education programs and a reduction in long term costs for the most severely impacted.
We, the students, faculty, and staff of The Ohio State University, are taking a stand against this discrimination. The truth of the matter is that everyone is affected by autism in some way. Found below is a sample of the students and faculty at this university that support HB 8 because we have been touched by someone with autism. We urge you to end this blatant discrimination and support House Bill 8.
Sincerely,
Autism Speaks Student Chapter
The Ohio State University
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Support House Bill 8 petition to Ohio lawmakers was written by Tiffany Brown and is in the category Children's Rights at GoPetition.