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Autism Insurance Bill Passes |  |
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I am delighted to announce that on Wednesday, we unanimously passed legislation out of the House to require insurance companies to cover diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. I am so pleased that I was part of the effort to jumpstart this important issue that was stalled because of disagreement over technical language. More and more children are diagnosed with autism disorders every year and it can be very expensive for parents to provide the needed treatments for their children. I strongly believe that families who pay insurance premiums should not be denied coverage when they need it most for their children and they certainly should not have to face bankruptcy just to provide a basic level of services for their child with autism. Senate Bill 934 requires insurance providers to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders for individuals under the age of 21 with a maximum benefit of $36,000 per year. Covered services include tests, evaluations and assessments, psychiatric and psychological care, rehabilitation, and therapy. Research proves that early diagnosis and treatment lead to significant life improvements for individuals with autism. After this legislation stalled, I worked with the Speaker and other leaders to forge an agreement on the technical language because it is most important that we put the needs of the people ahead of political disagreements. Special thanks to my colleagues Rep. Julie Hamos of Evanston and Rep. Kathy Ryg of Vernon Hills for all of their hard work in making this happen. Senate Bill 934 passed the House and Senate and now goes to the governor's desk. For a copy of the text of the bill, please click this link: the bill.
Illinois Autism and Developmental Disabilities (IADD) shared the news of our achievement with the following announcement. For further information about IADD, please click here: IADD "The Illinois Autism Insurance bill has finally passed, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of Pete DiCianni, a dad who took this on almost a year ago and worked tirelessly ever since to get this done. We also owe thanks to Senator James DeLeo, Representative Skip Saviano, Representative Karen May, and many other sponsors in the General Assembly, in addition to Governor Blagojevich, Speaker Madigan, and Senate President Emil Jones." "Originally SB1900, the autism insurance bill got caught up in some political back and forth for a while, but persistence pays off--and the fact that so many of you called and urged your legislators to pass this bill." "This Tuesday, the insurance language was reintroduced by Rep. May as an amendment to SB934 and on Wednesday passed the House 109-0. Today, the Senate voted in favor 45-6. Immediately after the Senate vote, Governor Blagojevich issued a statement applauding the action: "I would like to commend the Illinois General Assembly for making the right choice and voting in favor of families with autistic children. By approving Senate Bill 934, the members of the legislature have shown they overwhelmingly support my position that these families have a right to the treatment their children need and deserve. This is a cause for which I have fought diligently and I could not be more pleased that both chambers of the General Assembly have now affirmed that making treatment available to parents of autistic children is a priority we all share."
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