By Jim Lantry, ATPIAN (Autism Treatment Providers' Insurance Authorization Network)
In the closing minutes of this year’s California legislative session, SB 946 was passed — a feat that would normally take six months or more. The bill, which was the product of the diligent efforts of Senator Darrell Steinberg, will mandate that health insurance in California cover behavioral health treatments for Autism, PDD and Asperger’s Syndrome beginning July 1 of next year. For those of us who have been working on this issue, the final 25-4 Senate vote was indeed a momentous occasion.
Now the bill has only one more hurdle before it becomes law and positively changes the lives of tens of thousands of California children and their families. The bill is on Governor Brown's desk and he has just 30 days to sign the bill into law or veto it. We know the insurance lobby is hard at work asking for a veto. And the Governor has said that he intends to veto many of the 600 bills on his desk awaiting his signature. As he put it, there will be a lot of veto blues going around the Capitol because "there aren't 600 problems demanding legislative solutions in this state."
If we want to make sure that SB 946 isn't one of the bills that the Governor does veto, we need to make our voices heard. We need to contact the Governor today and let him know there is widespread support for this legislation and how important it will be for California families. Send Governor Brown a quick email through his website or for greater impact, fax him at 916-558-3160 and let him know you support SB 946.
You can also call the Governor at 916-445-2841 (but be prepared to wait on hold.)
To learn more, contact Jim Lantry via email.