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Help us make a video for a professional TV ad! If we use your idea, we'll send you a gift card for a dinner for two in your area. Email your ideas to jody@ncautismbill.org by August 1 2011 to be considered.

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Dear NC Resident,

We would like you to meet our beautiful 2 year old daughter Amara. Amara was recently diagnosed with PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental delay), a disorder on the autism spectrum.

Currently, geography determines autism treatment. 25 other state have laws that require insurance companies to cover autism treatment, including Virginia and South Carolina. Yes, even SC is ahead of NC.

If we lived 3 hours north or south, Amara would get the critical, time sensitive therapy she needs to help her learn to speak and interact appropriately in social situations.

But we live in NC, the same state where, for two years, the Autism Society of NC (donate) and Autism Speaks (donate) have been working hard to get HB826 heard in different committees. The bill has now landed in the House Health and Human Services Committee, where it is stalled.

HB826 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STATE BUDGET. It would be paid for by very profitable health insurance companies, such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield - who pay to have many lobbyists in Raleigh - to fight against passing this bill. Most estimates show it would cost insurance companies just 1% of their PROFIT.

In North Carolina, many health insurance companies exclude autism treatment altogether and most exclude much needed and effective behavior therapy.

HB826 also creates JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! See this page for more information.

There is also a second bill HB487 that will make ABA therapists widely available. This bill does not cost anything to taxpayers, it changes existing laws to allow more qualified therapists to work in NC. Please call and support this legislation, since there is a shortage of ABA therapists!

It will take thousands of calls to the House members and Senate members phone numbers listed below to get HB826 and HB487 on the calendar and passed in the NC General Assembly.

Please, make your call today. Give a child a voice!
Jody McGillivray
Iredell County, NC
www.ncautismbill.org

HB826:Coverage for Treatment of Autism Disorders (click to view the bill)

Hon. Bill Current, Chairman, Health and Human Services Committee: bill.current@ncleg.net (919) 733-5809

Hon. Nelson Dollar, Chairman, Health and Human Services Committee: nelson.dollar@ncleg.net (919) 715-0795

Hon. Mark Hollo, Chairman, Heath and Human Services Committee: mark.hollo@ncleg.net (919)-715-8361

Hon. Jerry Dockham, Chairman, House Insurance Committee: Jerry.Dockham@ncleg.net (919) 715-2526

The Senate version is S115: Coverage for Treatment of Autism Disorders (click to view the bill)

This is exactly the same legislation as HB826 above, and is currently in the Senate Committee for Insurance. Please send a letter or call the following people to make your voice heard:

Sen. Tom Apodaca, Co-Chairman, Senate Committee for Insurance: Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net (919) 733-5745

Sen. Wesley Meredith, Co-Chairman, Senate Committee for Insurance: Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net (919) 733-5776

Tell the Represenatives to put HB826 and S115 on the calendar imediately and vote YES to pass the bills!

Be sure to include the following details:

Your full name and North Carolina address
Why you care about Autism, Autism treatment and accessibility to treatment
If you are a parent: talk about your specific child and how your child needs access to ABA services.
If you are a treatment provider: talk about the children you treat and the plight of their families.
If you are a military family: talk about the particular hardships you face in getting the treatment you need for your children in North Carolina.
Most importantly, make the letter personal, heartfelt and urgent!