Illinois’ autism insurance bill has new life, thanks to
the
efforts of parents Pete DiCianni, Laura Cellini, Nelly
Aguilar, Enrique Abraham, Senator Jim DeLeo,
Representative Angelo Saviano, and
now Governor Rod
Blagojevich.
As you may recall, SB1900 was
introduced this spring, passed the Senate 50-
0 and passed the House 113-
0. However, the bill got derailed by a dispute over
a late
amendment that did not go to the substance of the bill,
and it has been in limbo since.
On June 13, 2008, in
a rare Sunday press
conference at Chicago’s Children’s Museum at Navy
Pier, Governor Blagojevich announced that he was
going to
add the language from SB1900 to another bill that
was already on his desk,
HB4255, through an
amendatory veto. That bill
was introduced by Rep. Bob Pritchard to increase
coverage for multiple sclerosis. Rep. Pritchard
was also at the press conference to announce his
support
for the addition to help our kids, along with Rep. Elga Jefferies, the
State Insurance Director Michael
McRaith, and many of our families.
Please call your State Representative on June 14, 2008 at
their local office, or June 15, 2008 at the Capitol.
Ask
him/her to vote to concur in the amendatory veto of
HB4255, which adds insurance coverage for autism,
up to $36,000 per year. Your state rep has already
voted for this coverage under SB1900. Please thank
them for their support, too!
We need your help if Illinois is to join the other states
with new autism
insurance legislation this year, like Texas, South Carolina,
Arizona, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania.