MI Autism Insurance


WE ALL KNOW SOMEONE ……

“Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.”

Confucius


A battle that began almost six years ago to stop insurance companies from discriminating against children and families facing Autism has now reached it’s peak.  The Michigan House of Representatives has passed the bills and they’ve been waiting on the Senate for almost 17 months.  If the bills are not put up for a vote and passed before December 2nd these bills will be officially dead and the journey that started six years ago will have to begin again from scratch.  At this point it comes down to a Caucus meeting on November 30th where it will be decided …. not if these bills should be passed … but simply if the Republican Caucus will allow it to go to the Senate floor for a vote.

The resources below have been compiled to help you, help these children and their families.  Please check out the links below.  Watch the videos.  Listen to the interviews and then, if you care about this issue at all follow the steps on the bottom of this page to help encourage these Senators to at least give this bill a chance to be voted on.

Thank you,

Steve Bockmann

On Monday at 10:30am I will be speaking with Frank Beckmann on “The Frank Beckmann Show” on WJR 760 concerning the need to get this Autism Insurance Legislation to the floor for a vote. Click the WJR logo to go to the WJR website where you can listen live to the interview.

Our Interview on WWJ News Radio 950 on Nov. 27th – click to listen

Kathy Angerer – Majority Floor Leader For The MI House – Explains Autism Insurance Legislation

Two Fantastic Websites To Find Additional Information On The Legislation

Autism Insurance In The News

Presentations

Some Of The Stuff We’ve Written On The Subject

Videos

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO – RIGHT NOW – TO HELP THESE KIDS?

(THANK YOU TO AUTISM INSURANCE IN MICHIGAN FOR THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS)

There are only THREE more legislative days this session for the Senate to pass the autism reform legislation. THREE days.
We have been fighting for this insurance reform for almost six years now, and it all comes down to this final countdown. Our friends at My Great Kid interviewed House Majority Leader Kathy Angerer on their radio show recently. Click here to listen to a brief segment of the show which will be aired in its entirety this Sunday morning at 9 am on 1310am. Hear why it is so important that these bills get passed NOW and why it is critical that we do not let them die this session.
  • Why Does This Legislation Need To Be Passed By December 2nd – what’s the rush?
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP
1) Contact your Michigan senator today and ask them to pass meaningful autism insurance reform this session. Ask them if we can count on them voting YES for the autism insurance legislation when it comes up for a vote next week. If your Republican Senator opposes the legislation or is on the fence, ask your senator if he/she will vote YES to allow the legislation to come for a vote on the floor. You can find out who your Michigan State Senator is and their phone number HERE. Be polite, but persistent.  Don’t be concerned if your senator is not in their office. Most of the Senators will be gone this week on vacation, but their staff will still be there answering the phone and counting calls.  Talk with their staff and let them know how critical it is that this legislation pass this year. Ask them if they know where the Senator stands.

If you want to have even MORE of an impact, please take a moment and call Senators below who are still undecided or have told us they will not vote in favor of it.

Jason Allen

  • 517-373-2413
  • senjallen@senate.michigan.gov
  • counties of Grand Traverse, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Mackinac and Chippewa

Patricia Birkholz

Mike Bishop
  • 517-373-2417
  • senmbishop@senate.michigan.gov
  • Oakland county and includes:  Addison Twp, Auburn Hills city, Independence Twp, Keego Harbor city, Lake Angelus city, Oakland Twp, Orion Twp, Oxford Twp, Pontiac city, Rochester city, Rochester Hills city, Sylvan Lake city and Clarkston city
Cameron Brown
Nancy Cassis
  • 517-373-1758
  • senncassis@senate.michigan.gov
  • Oakland county and includes: Commerce Twp, Highland Twp, Holly Twp, Lyon Twp, Milford Twp, Northville city (part), Novi city, Novi Twp, Orchard Lake city, Rose Twp, South Lyon city, Walled Lake city, West Bloomfield Twp, White Lake Twp and Wixom city
Alan Cropsey

Valde Garcia
  • 517-373-2420
  • senvgarcia@senate.michigan.gov
  • the counties of Livingston, Shiawassee and the southern part of Ingham County. The Ingham County portion includes Bunkerhill Twp, Leslie city, Leslie Twp, Mason city, Stockbridge Twp and Vevay Twp
Tom George
Jud Gilbert
Bill Hardiman
Mark Jansen
  • 517-373-0797
  • SenMJansen@senate.michigan.gov
  • part of Kent County and includes: Ada Twp, Algoma Twp, Alpine Twp, Bowne Twp, Byron Twp, Caledonia Twp, Cannon Twp, Cedar Springs city, Courtland Twp, East Grand Rapids city, Gaines Twp, Grand Rapids Twp, Nelson Twp, Oakfield Twp, Plainfield Twp, Rockford city, Solon Twp, Spencer Twp, Tyrone Twp, Walker city and Wyoming city
Ron Jelinek
Roger Kahn
Wayne Kuipers
Michelle McManus
  • 517-373-1725
  • senmmcmanus@senate.michigan.gov
  • includes the counties of Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, Wexford, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Roscommon, Clare, Osceola, Lake and Mecosta
Alan Sanborn
  • 517-373-7670
  • senasanborn@senate.michigan.gov
  • located in northern Macomb County and includes: Armada Twp, Bruce Twp, Chesterfield Twp, Harrison Twp, Lenox Twp, Macomb Twp, Memphis city (part), Mount Clemens city, New Baltimore city, Ray Twp, Richmond city (part), Richmond Twp, Shelby Twp and Washington Twp
Tony Stamas
  • 517-373-7946
  • ofctstamas@senate.michigan.gov
  • includes the counties of Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Gladwin, Iosco, Midland, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda and Otsego
Liz Brater
Irma Clark-Coleman
Michael Prusi
  • 517- 373-7840
  • senmprusi@senate.michigan.gov
  • includes Gogebic, Iron, Ontonagon, Delta, Dickinson, Keweenaw, Houghton, Baraga, Marquette, Alger, Luce, Schoolcraft, Menominee
Mickey Switalski

2) Follow up your phone call with a quick, personalized e-mail.  Here is a link to a FACT PAGE about the legislation. Please use these facts to support your own personal story. Again, to have even a more effective impact, please send emails to the Senators in the regions above who are on the fence or opposed.

3) Join AIM and other parents from around the state next week in Lansing! We plan to be there early in the morning on 11/30 (by 8:45am) as the Republican caucus decides whether or not to hold a vote. If they do decide to hold a vote, it could be that same morning, the following day on Dec. 1st, or the last day of the session, Dec. 2nd. We will be there to see that the job gets done. If the caucus decides to NOT hold a vote on 11/30, we will be there talking to Senators, pulling them off the floor, and making our presence known. Please join us in this very critical advocacy action.

If you are coming from out of town, and would like to spend the night, please feel free to email Ann for more details and suggested places to stay in town. Some of us are planning on staying overnight on the 30th for sure.

We would like to see as many Senate districts from around the state represented on 11/30 in Lansing. If you plan to come, please let us know who you are and where you are coming from, in case we need you to speak to your Senator that day. Some legislators only want to talk to their own constituents. Please take a moment and fill out this form if you plan on coming to Lansing on the 30th, 1st or 2nd (as needed) so we have a good idea of which districts are being represented. If you don’t get a chance to fill out the form, please feel free to come anyways, but look for an AIM committee member to sign in with and receive a name tag.
AIM t-shirts will be available to wear on 11/30 (as sizes are available). If you already have an AIM t-shirt, please wear it.

4. Please forward this e-mail to everyone you know who lives in Michigan, asking them to take action as well.  They do not have to be personally affected by autism.  There is strength in numbers.  The stronger our voice, the more likely our success becomes.

Things could change by the minute and we will be sending out regular communications as we learn more over the coming days.  Please stand ready to take action. We are in the closing miles of the marathon, heading up heartbreak hill. Now more than ever, we must put one foot in front of the other.

After almost six years, it has come down to the final few days.
Please do not grow weary in the effort now!
We have a great opportunity to pass meaningful autism insurance reform legislation this year.
Thanks for doing all you can to help us cross the finish line.

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