“We are looking forward to the next session in 2009 and having a prosthetic parity bill put forward in the House and the Senate,” Freeman said. “We were happy with the turnout for the Senate and the House hearings but particularly the House hearings. We had 20 to 30 individuals there … and it made an impression on the representatives.”
McLellan explained that the Missouri prosthetic parity bill was coupled with an autism parity bill and in the process was amended to become a mandated offer bill instead of a pure mandate.
“An offer … requires health insurance companies to offer to sell individuals and companies policies that include prosthetic coverage but not all of their policies have to include prosthetic coverage,” McLellan said. “So companies and individuals can choose to buy less expensive policies that don’t include prosthetic coverage. This was a compromise we were willing to make with the insurance companies in our first year.”
Despite the compromise, the bill stalled. The bill will be reintroduced in January 2009 to a better educated and informed group of legislators.
“We have made a lot of headway with individual legislators and bringing in that momentum which is helpful,” Damerall said.
When the bill is reintroduced, that momentum will be particularly important as they are expecting to enlist new sponsors for the bill as well as additional legislators for support.
“We are trying for everything we want,” Damerall said, explaining that they are aiming to change the language once again for full coverage. This time we are saying that if you provide individual coverage or group coverage, small group coverage, whatever coverage you are going to provide the benefit not just the offer.”
To continue the momentum and keep motivations high, the Missouri campaign is planning a number of events this summer which they hope will continue to raise awareness.
No comments:
Post a Comment