Seeking full and fair coverage for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders
This website has been generously donated by the NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders.
To contact the website administrator, click here.
May 1, 2012 -- Advocates for full and fair coverage can be pleased that the immediate danger has passed:  HB 309 has been referred for interim study by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.  SB 150 was killed outright. 

Interim Study usually means that a bill is effectively dead,. The broader concern here, however, is continued legislative opposition to consumer protection measures within the state's health insurance laws.  In the coming months, debate is likely to center on what New Hampshire will select to be it's benchmark for establishing an "essential benefits" package under the Affordable Care Act.  That is, assuming that the Supreme Court does not overturn the ACA in its entirety.  To learn more about essential benefits, link here.


Quick Links
The NH Coalition for 
Autism Insurance Reform
​In a second interesting development, a Florida court recently ruled that the state's Medicaid program must start paying for ABA therapy for children with autism and related disabilities. Judge xxx ruled from the bench that under a federal requirement known as Early Periodic Screening Treatment and Diagnosis (EPSDT), the state must honor physician recommendations for ABA treatment as a medically necessary service. A similar argument could be made in any other state. To learn more about EPSDT and how it can be used to argue for expanded benefits for the treatment of ASD, link here.

Please check back often for updates. And thank you for all the good work that you do!

Kirsten
Kirsten Murphy
Administrative Director, NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders
Senator Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro)
Chair
Statehouse Room 302
107 N. Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-8472 (work)


Senator Molly Kelly (D-Keene)
Statehouse, Room 120
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-3207 (work)


Senator Gary Lambert (R-Nashua)
Statehouse, Room 107
107 North Main Street
Concord NH 03301
(603) 271-2609 (work)



​Senator Tom De Blois (R-Manchester)
Vice Chair
Statehouse, Room 105-A
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-4151 (work)


Senator Andy Sanborn (R-Henniker)
Legislative Office Building, Room 5
33 North State Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-3067 (work)

Senate Health and Human Services Committee
We will be watching this committee carefully in coming months to make sure that HB 309 -- or a similar measure -- is not reintroduced.

To learn more about Autism Advocacy