Comments Off on Autism Policy Update From Minnesota Capitol
Have you heard the saying, when Pigs Fly? Let me explain what I mean by that.
As you all know, everything about the Capitol is politics and Autism is all politics.
Now, MN DFL are notorious for saying “we care for the poor, we are for the 47%, we are for equality, etc”. And, MN GOP is notorious for saying, “we are for fiscal responsibility, we use facts and evidence to guide us not emotion – OK, take off when Speaker Boehner cried”.
In Minnesota state legislature, the opposite is happening and here is how;
1. Many well organized like a well oiled machine wealthy parents who can cry a river, sold their houses, cars, took out 2nd and 3rd mortgages and left their luxury 6 figure digit jobs came to testify this year.
2. Meanwhile, poor families who have no idea where the Capitol is even located, can’t take a 2nd mortgage because they live in public housing, can’t sell a car because they take public transportation and have never seen 6 figure income because they make minimum wage are not seen.
As a result, I saw the MN DFL write autism legislation that short changed the poor and gave more butter to the wealthy.
It gets worse, then the tighten your belt MN GOP voted for the unlimited hours, unlimited forever ABA therapy with no regard to research, cost effective and forget fairness and equality.
I know, I was not sure if I should cry or party like it was 1999 and could not believe my ears.
Oh, more when pigs fly news – MN DFL leaders proposed a budget cut of $150 million to Health and Human services this year. What – really, cutting from the poor, elderly and disabled.
I asked one of the LA’s for a member why they kept voting against poor autism children and he brutally told me the truth “those parents cry a river and you say fact is this and research is that and talk like an insurance agent or a lobbyist”. It is easier to vote against those blood sucking insurance companies and their lobbyist.
That is very true, I don’t cry or tell sad stories in my testimonies because I believe that parent or patient anecdotal should never drive public policy. It should be driven by three factors;
A. What does the current research and science say?
B. How much funds are in our budget for this and how many people are affected?
C. How can we make it so that the access for ALL is fair from the gate?
Everything else is irrelevant, can you imagine if FDA, CDC or NIMH recommended policies or medications based on parent/patient stories. What those sad & frustration stories should drive is funding allocated for research to prove it.
I think we can now all say we saw pigs flying at MN State Capitol.
Currently as things stand and conference committees have not yet started and neither bill has been heard on the house and senate floors. Those with guts will offer amendments to correct it or be silent.
MN Governor Dayton Autism Proposal for Medicaid/MA $12. Million
In alliance with HSAC and DHS – Governor added $12 Million to his overall budget to start an autism specific benefit. HSAC recommended a holistic approach of multidisciplinary approach which included ABA, Education and Developmental approaches.
Gov Dayton also wrote a letter to U.S HHS asking similar coverage for the private market.
This is by far my favorite proposal. I would only make the rules tighter so that the less informed and low income family don’t get less services.
Minnesota Senate Chaired by Sen Laurey:
As it is custom had the Governor’s version in his HHS Finance bill SF1034, but in the end took off both the MA and the Private insurance by Sen. Eaton which asked unlimited ABA hours for unlimited age – forever for the wealthy family.
Well, I guess if nothing else, we can say Sen Laurey and in general both sides of the isle in the senate are fair. Maybe they believe “do it for ALL or do it for NONE approach”. What a novel concept.
Minnesota House Chaired by Rep Huntley:
Rep Huntley’s HHS Finance omnibus bill HF1233 has essentially the Kitchen sink amendment by Rep Norton, and her private language which wants to give more the wealthy and almost nothing to the poor. 1233A60 (look it up – I kid you not).
So, this version which has the support of attack dog Rep Liebling and others of both parties is my least favorite because it wants to establish a double standard and two tiered autism coverage. One benefit is very generous and is for the wealthy family and the other version is very limited to almost non-existent and is for the poor/low income most likely minority autism family.
The final say will be Governor Dayton because he has to sign all bills that come out of the state legislator. He can sign a whole omnibus bill or line veto what he does not like. Now, if Governor Dayton who is up for re-election next year and won less than 10,000 votes last time chooses the House version is saying “I am OK with double standard and discrimination autism coverage and short changing the poor autism family”. My gut feeling tells me he won’t say that, but I never trust a politician in Minnesota, given the history here.
Therefore, we need to watch them like a hawk until the session is done and what version is signed and becomes law. I also highly recommend Somali autism parents to come to the conference committee meetings which I will post here once they are announced. This is where equality prevailed last time, Rep Norton wanted to throw poor autism families under the bus, and we were helped by Sen. Berglin and Sen. Pogemiller. Sadly, they are not here anymore and everything sort of sucks there now. (not a typo)