GOVERNOR TO SIGN IMPORTANT AMPUTEE HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION

Washington, DC (April 23, 2008) —On Wednesday, April 23rd Vermont will become the 10th state to require health insurance companies to cover prosthetic care as they do all essential medical care when Governor James Douglas signs Senate Bill 280 into law at an signing ceremony at 10:30am, in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in the State House. 

Sponsored by former lieutenant governor, Senator Doug Racine (D-Richmond) and Senator Ginny Lyons (D-Burlington), S.280 requires health insurance plans to provide coverage for prosthetic devices at least equivalent to that provided by the federal Medicare program.  This prevents insurance companies from imposing special exemptions or financial caps on prosthetic benefits.

"The new law is very important to Vermont residents living with the loss or absence of a limb who are seeking meaningful prosthetic care coverage from their health insurers," said Paddy Rossbach, CEO of the Amputee Coalition of America, which supported the new law.  

The Amputee Coalition of America has been working with local amputee and advocate, Eileen Casey since last fall to advance legislation.  Casey lost her leg to cancer.  She is currently fighting the disease.  She was shocked to find out after her amputation that she would also have to fight the insurance companies she had paid her premiums to in order to get coverage for her prosthesis.

"I don't want anyone to have to go through the shock and trauma of something like this happening, and then to find out you have such limited insurance coverage, even though you are paying into insurance to buy a prosthetic," said Casey, a South Burlington resident.

Many Vermonters living with the loss or absence of a limb have faced discouraging obstacles when trying to obtain prosthetic care. This has a devastating effect on amputees and their families.  The ACA has been working with activists at the state and federal level to advance legislation to address this important issue.

Studies have shown that appropriate prosthetic coverage will add only 12¢ to 35¢ per month to insurance premiums.  Not only does providing prosthetics cost very little to the general insured population, it also saves money in the long run.  The subsequent cost to the healthcare system far exceeds that of providing prosthetic care, while the lack of productivity places a huge burden on society.

"This bill will make certain that insured, working people can continue supporting their families,” said added Rossbach.  "It will ensure that the tragedy of children living without a limb is not compounded by forcing them to spend the rest of their childhood in a wheelchair when help is readily available." 

The bill was voted out of the Senate committee 4-0 after testimony was given by the ACA, Casey and a local amputee and father of two who was unable to purchase a prosthesis due to a $1,000 annual cap.  The Vermont Senate went on to unanimously pass the bill in February.  The bill was then heard in the House and passed on April 1st.  The signing ceremony on Wednesday will make it official.

Vermont joins California, Colorado, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New

Jersey, Oregon, and Rhode Island in protecting access to prosthetic care.  Almost thirty states

are working with the Amputee Coalition of America to advance state health insurance parity.  The

Amputee Coalition is also working to pass a federal prosthetic parity bill that was introduced in the

House of Representative in March.  HR 5615 would ensure access to prosthetic care to

individuals covered by private health plans on par with other basic medical services.

The Amputee Coalition of America, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, is a national, non-profit consumer educational organization that empowers people who have experienced amputation or are born with limb differences through education, support and advocacy. The Amputee Coalition includes individual amputees, amputee educational and support groups, family members and friends of amputees, physicians and other health care and rehabilitation professionals, prosthetists, amputation or limb loss related agencies and other organizations.

WHAT:                  Governor Douglas Signing S.280 - An Act Relating To Prosthetic Parity

DATE:                   Wednesday, April 23, 2008

TIME:                   10:30 a.m.                  

LOCATION:        Governor’s Ceremonial Office - State House

. 

For more information on the new Vermont prosthetic parity law or to speak with Amputee Coalition of America CEO Paddy Rossbach, please call Idan Sims at 212 725-3838.  For more information about the national campaign for prosthetic coverage, please contact the ACA's national advocacy director, Morgan Sheets at 202 302-4373.  Local activist Eileen Casey can be reached at 802 238-4947.