It has come to my attention that Massachusetts Senator Karen Spilka is sponsoring an act to improve insurance coverage for children in Massachusetts.
Insurance will often cover rehabilitative services, therapy that helps a child to restore lost function. Currently there is a loophole in the law that allows insurance companies to deny coverage for medically necessary habilitative services. This type of service teaches a child to acquire a skill needed in order to function in age appropriate ways. Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Speech Therapists provide these types of therapies. Closing this loophole means that health insurance companies will be required to pay for medically necessary OT, PT, and Speech Therapy. My daughter no longer receives services from our OT because our insurance company does not cover “habilitative” therapy.
If this bill is enacted, my daughter and many other children with SPD and other brain-based, genetic, and developmental disabilities will be able to receive these much needed services.
The hearing date for habilitation bill #70 is June 10, 2009. Would you consider taking action on this right now? Please call your state representative to voice your support for the habilitation bill #70. You can find out who your representative is here.
