HR 6331

It has been confirmed that HR 6331 Has passed BOTH the House and Senate. A sincere thanks to Senator Kennedy, who made a special trip to the Senate floor to cast his vote on this very important bill. Thank you for NOT FORGETTING!

 

This bill is key for those with a mental health diagnosis,  or those with a dual diagnosis of a developmental disability and a mental health one. This bill would end physicians right to discriminate  in terms who they choose to treat, and who they choose not to.

 

Here again are the details:

SEC. 102. ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATORY COPAYMENT RATES FOR MEDICARE OUTPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES.

Section 1833(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(c)) is amended to read as follows:

`(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, with respect to expenses incurred in a calendar year in connection with the treatment of mental, psychoneurotic, and personality disorders of an individual who is not an inpatient of a hospital at the time such expenses are incurred, there shall be considered as incurred expenses for purposes of subsections (a) and (b)--

`(A) for expenses incurred in years prior to 2010, only 62 1/2 percent of such expenses;

`(B) for expenses incurred in 2010 or 2011, only 68 3/4 percent of such expenses;

`(C) for expenses incurred in 2012, only 75 percent of such expenses;

`(D) for expenses incurred in 2013, only 81 1/4 percent of such expenses; and

`(E) for expenses incurred in 2014 or any subsequent calendar year, 100 percent of such expenses.

`(2) For purposes of subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (1), the term `treatment' does not include brief office visits (as defined by the Secretary) for the sole purpose of monitoring or changing drug prescriptions used in the treatment of such disorders or partial hospitalization services that are not directly provided by a physician.'.

Thank you also to all those who called in to ask your Senator to vote for this critical piece of legislation!

Aria Ligi

Director CALNAA

AB 2302

The Autism Commission (Sen. Darrell Steinberg, Chair; Dr. Barbara Firestone, Vice-Chair) is delighted that the first bill (AB 2302) of its comprehensive legislative package has just been signed into law! 

 

This important bill, authored by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, is a step in the right direction to address the critical shortage of adequately trained teachers for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD.) 

 

AB 2302 authorizes that classes for ASD can be taught by holders of mild/moderated specialist credential who have either provided one year of full time autism instruction or completed three semester units of autism coursework. 

 

As Rick Rollens, who supported this bill on behalf Alliance of California Autism Organizations noted, “AB 2302 not only helps meet the demand of more qualified teachers but also enables pupils with milder forms of ASD to have access to appropriate educational services.”

 

This bill, which was supported by 19 autism and educational organizations, has no known opposition and goes into immediate effect.  A companion bill (AB 131) by Assembly-member Jim Beall, which provides similar provisions for students with ASD who are three or four years of age,  has been placed on the Senate “consent calendar” and, therefore, should also be approved in the near future.