This article is the first of several wrapping up the 2014 legislative session. Look for more details on the budget and information on other legislation passed during the session in coming days. The NC House and Senate agreed on a budget package to adjust the final year of the current two-year budget and passed the…
Autism Insurance Update
July 15, 2014 Background: Autism insurance reform legislation was passed by the NC House last year (H498) but the bill has yet to be taken up by the NC Senate. The bill would ensure that health insurance sold in North Carolina that is regulated by the NC Department of Insurance covers the diagnosis and treatment…
Autism Insurance Reform Gets Another Chance
This week, the NC House passed S493, Health and Safety Regulatory Reform. The House had been debating various regulatory reform bills for the past week, and on Tuesday, they introduced a new version of S493 that included autism insurance reform with very similar bill language to House bill 498, which was passed last year, as…
House Approves its Budget Adjustments Bill
As we wrote about in a previous budget update, the NC Senate passed its version of the budget on May 30. That Senate bill contained a number of cuts and policy changes that would negatively affect people on the autism spectrum and people with disabilities. The House responded with its version, which passed Friday, June…
General Assembly Budget Update and Action Alert!
Last week, the NC Senate passed a budget adjustments bill that proposes cuts to teacher’s assistants, other school funds, and Medicaid, including the cutting of so-called “optional populations,” such as those eligible for Special Assistance and the medically needy. See our previous post for details on the proposal. In short, these cuts would be devastating…
Moratorium Would Kill Autism Insurance Reform
The Joint Study Committee on the Affordable Care Act, which is a specially appointed committee that has been meeting for the past few months, plans to make its recommendations to the General Assembly on Tuesday, May 14, including a proposed bill that would place a MORATORIUM ON ANY NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES. The moratorium is…
NC Legislative Session Starts May 14: What You Need to Know
May 14 begins the “short” session of the North Carolina General Assembly. The short session takes place in even years and lasts about 6-7 weeks. Typically, legislators will make adjustments to the budget and take up a few pieces of legislation that either were not completed the previous year or are being introduced based on…
Make Your Voice Heard
The Autism Society of North Carolina is the leading advocate for individuals with autism and their families in our state. But we cannot do the important work of creating positive change for the autism community without your help. Together, our voices on public policy and legislative matters will draw more attention to our causes. Next…
ASNC Advocates for People with Autism and Their Families, Part 2
Editor’s note: This is part 2 of a Q&A with Jennifer Mahan, ASNC Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, and Kerri Erb, Senior Director of Quality and Programs. We have merged their responses to each of the questions. What do you, Jennifer Mahan and Kerri Erb, do? Here are the main areas: Coordinating public policy Communicate…