I've gotten word that NOW is the time to start writing our state legislators in support of Autism Health Insurance Reform legislation.  Final changes to the bill have been submitted, and we have a sponsor, Sen. Mark Hass. We will have a hearing in front of the Senate Health Care committee on January 18, but have been given only 5 minutes to present. (FYI, since this will be a business session, we are NOT specifically asking people to attend the hearing.)

 

 

 

Instead, we need to have people from across Oregon sending letters, emails and/or phone calls to their legislators to ask them to support & co-sponsor the bill, known as: "LC86, Autism Health Insurance Reform.”  Please contact your own legislators and urge your friends to do so also.  Contact from constituents carries a lot of weight.

 

 

 

The most effective strategy is to send a letter or e-mail, then follow up with a phone call a few days later. But, anything you can do will be very helpful. Even though this is in the Senate, contacting your House representative is also helpful. It's OK to send the same letter.

 

 

 

We particularly need constituents of Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson (of Gresham/Fairview) to contact her. Sen. Monnes Anderson is the Chair of the Senate Health Care Committee, and will control whether the bill gets a vote in her committee.

 

 

 

 

 

For helpful information in preparing your letter, please see: 

 

 

 

1.  Contact info for your legislator can be found at: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/  (just enter your address)

 

 

 

2.  Helpful tips on communicating effectively with your legislator can be found at: http://autisminsuranceor.org/advocacy/. 

 

 

 

3.  Details about the draft bill can be found at: http://autisminsuranceor.org/2012-legislation/. (Any questions about the bill can referred to Paul Terdal at paul@AutismInsuranceOR.org, or to me.)

 

 

 

4.  Attached are some "talking points" to provide additional facts, if you'd like.  These are only meant to be helpful, and aren't required to be used. Your own "voice" is most effective.

 

 

 

5.  Attached is a letter that I've prepared for my representatives, as an example. 

 

 

 

 

 

If you'd like help in preparing your email/letter: 

 

 

 

1. Portland Asperger's Network (PAN) is holding an email/letter-writing "party" at their Game Club this Friday, January 13, from 6:30-10pm, at West Linn Lutheran Church, 20390 Willamette Drive, West Linn, OR 97068. If you can, feel free to join us and bring the kiddos. There are lots of games and a movie for the kids. The suggested donation is waived for letter writing participants.

 

 

 

2. If anyone has questions, or wants to get a group together in the Portland metro area, I can help. 

 

 

 

3.  Outside the Portland Metro area, I am available by phone, or Skype, or e-mail. 

 

 

 

 

 

Please feel free to call me at 503-821-9707, or to email me with any questions. With everyone working on this, we will let the legislature how important this issue is to their constituents. 

 

 

 

Thank you, 

 

Tobi  

 

 

 

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Tobi Rates

 

Executive Director

 

 

 

Autism Society of Oregon

 

PO Box 396

 

Marylhurst, OR 97035-0396

 

Phone:  503-636-1676 (Portland area) or 1-888-AUTISM-1 (toll-free)

 

E-mail: oregonautismED@gmail.com