Contact: Morgan Sheets

National Advocacy Director

msheets@amputee-coalition.org

202/742-1880

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             

October 2, 2006

Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Prosthetic Coverage Bill

 California Joins National Trend in Protecting Access to Prosthetic Care

On September 30, California became the sixth state to protect prosthetic coverage under the law.  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 2012, a bill that mandates that insurance plans offering benefits for orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) care must provide full coverage — without caps and co-pays that restrict access to prescribed devices.  The new bill will make certain that insured, working people can continue working and supporting their families.

“Currently, when health plans and insurers offer orthotic and prosthetic coverage, they may offer coverage that in reality provides only a small portion of the total costs of a prosthetic limb,” says Gov. Schwarzenegger.

“For instance, a health plan may only cover $2,000 of the cost of a prosthetic arm, leaving the patient to pay the remaining cost, which could be $10,000 or higher,” added Gov. Schwarzenegger.

The bill also mandates that O&P providers will have met a standard level of competency to fit and furnish devices and services by being nationally certified.

“My husband and I are thrilled with the passage of this bill,” says Anne Bahl, of Mountain View. “Now we have hope that our 15-year-old son, who lost his leg to cancer last year, will finally have access to adequate prosthetic coverage, both now and, even more importantly, in the future when he is on his own.”

The bill was sponsored by the California Orthotics and Prosthetics Association (COPA) and supported by the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) and its members.

“We commend Gov. Schwarzenegger for supporting this important bill.  People must get the care they need to lead independent, productive lives,” says Paddy Rossbach, CEO and President of the Amputee Coalition of America.

The ACA is part of a national campaign to advance legislation state-by-state requiring insurance companies to cover appropriate prosthetic care.

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The contents of this message are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC, the sponsoring organizations or the ACA. No funding from the CDC is used to support ACA advocacy efforts.