One year ago I (along with a lot of other parents) was in the state capitol in Michigan advocating almost around the clock for three days for passage of Autism Insurance Coverage for Children in the state of Michigan. Doesn’t seem like it would be a particularly hard thing to convince someone of, does it? You have a child with a medical diagnosis. A child with a real neurological condition. A child that with early treatment and intervention has a great chance to overcome many of the hurdles that their medical condition would otherwise impose on them over the course of their lifetime. To put it more bluntly, you help these kids and you give them a more promising, productive, rewarding future.
In the midst of what seemed like the final days before Spring Break in a middle school, we (the parents, therapists, children, etc. advocating for this legislation) watched as the legislators … many in their final days as legislators … ate cake and pizza and sang songs karaoke style on the floor of the Senate (seriously). It was truly as if they’d gotten all of their work done early and were just counting down the final hours of their tax payer funded terms before they could all go home for Christmas break (you see Virginia in Michigan our Senators and Representative collect full-time paychecks but don’t necessarily put in full-time hours or work year round). One of the things they forgot to do though was give the kids and families in Michigan battling Autism a chance to get their children the life changing help they need. In what amounted to politics and political gamesmanship at its best (dirtiest?) the bill was blocked and kept as far away from the floor as it could because many (even those opposing it) knew that if the bill got to the floor of the Senate there were enough votes for it to get passed. That would have been a life changing moment for thousands of kids and families in Michigan. But alas, it was not to be.
That’s history though and the point of this post is not to idly lament history. My point IS to ask where the champions for our kids have gone in THIS session. You see, this year – 2011 – was supposed to be different. A ton of new members in the Senate and House meant the entire process had to start over again but THIS time we had a leg up (or maybe not) …. because THIS time we had champions in high places that cared about this legislation (do they?). But many of us are now, on the anniversary of the crushing defeat felt last year, wondering ….. where have our Champions (or potential Champions) gone?????
Where did Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) go? He had hearings last year. Gave countless parents hope and encouragement as he toured around the state in 2010 heading up his Autism Insurance informational sessions. He accepted awards and spoke at rallies talking about the need for Autism Insurance Reform. He was supposed to be a champion for Autism Insurance in the Senate. Despite the failure last year we were assured that he was a champion, we were assured the he was a fighter, we were assured he wouldn’t forget …. so where is he now as the LEADER of the Senate Republican Majority?
Where did our Champion Lt. Governor Brian Calley go? He famously has a daughter with Autism. He was a leading voice late in the charge for the passage of the Autism Insurance legislation last fall. He spoke out on the radio and even did a video on behalf of the legislation trying to advocate for its passage. He took his shots from the opposition but kept charging. By his own admission his outspoken advocacy for the legislation was perhaps a bit late in the game but there is no doubt that his efforts, if ultimately unsuccessful, were important. You can see him all over the place these days as the Lt. Governor taking the Governor’s message and fight to the two chambers in Lansing and the media (the bridge to Canada, the budget, school funding, tax reform, etc.). He had fire and passion last year for Autism Insurance Coverage for Michigan’s kids ……. but where is our Lt. Governor today?
Senator Jim Marleau – Chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee – He has supported Autism and disability rights issues for years. He sits on the board of the nonprofit “Homes for Autism”. When it was announced that he would be the Chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee and that the Autism Insurance for Children bills would be assigned to his committee there was widespread relief. With someone who understood the issue we all figured the odds of it getting locked and blocked in committee never to see the light of day on the Senate chamber floor (as happened last year) would be a concern we could shelf. A funny thing happened on the way out of the Health Policy committee though …… nothing (it’s like visions of last year all over again). Our potential Champion who could bring this legislation up in his committee and send it to the Senate floor, well, ummmm … he isn’t. Senator Marleau …… where are you?
Just to be clear I’m not disparaging any of these three Republican politicians. (I highlight Republican here because it IS the Republicans stopping this legislation just as it was last year. As a conservative Republican it pains me to say this but the reason our kids in Michigan don’t have Autism coverage is because the Republicans … at least thus far …. have not wanted them to have it. The truth hurts but that doesn’t make it less true …. sadly.) I have a tremendous amount of respect for them and believe that the leadership they could provide this State is much needed.
My frustration however is this ….. they’ve all elected to not be loud, vocal, aggressive advocates for our kids. Despite their strength and influence and stature they’ve all elected to sit on their hands and not do anything. Despite their vocal support of these kids and families and helping them at Autism related events ….. they’re not delivering.
Who knows, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe behind the scenes these three potential Champions for our kids are working hard and trying to line up the votes. However, these Republicans are finishing up their first year in office. They’ve passed 231 new laws. Of those laws 95% of them have been laws championed and introduced by Republicans. That’s 231 new laws in less than a year.
So it’s not like they can’t get something they care about passed.
But not a whisper about Autism.
The rate of Autism and the number of births in the State of Michigan would suggest that over 1,000 additional children in the State of Michigan were diagnosed this past year. That’s over 1,000 additional families that are discovering that their insurance company WILL NOT cover their child.
They will not cover the life changing therapies.
They will not cover the interventions that literally will mean a savings of millions of dollars over the lifetime of that child.
Approximately 1,000 additional children were diagnosed with Autism this year and they won’t have coverage because our Senators and Representatives don’t think that they’re important enough to protect.
Michigan was one of the first states in the country to take up the Autism Insurance fight for our kids. In the time that our State Senators, Representatives and Governors have done nothing, 29 other states have stepped up to protect their children.
A year ago I was in Lansing tonight working hard with other parents to try to get coverage passed that would have helped thousands of children and families across the state. We were fighting for our kids but we were also fighting so that those 1,000 children newly diagnosed this past year wouldn’t have to suffer like our children and families have had to suffer.
A year ago we watched the Senate singing karaoke on the floor of the chamber, glad handing each other while they ate pizza and cake and then snuck out of town after abandoning our kids.
This year’s Senate and House have also chosen to ignore these children.
Where did our Champions go?
Have they really forgotten about our kids that quickly?
Source: The Dome Magazine
