The proposal to force insurance companies to cover therapies for autism disorders might be leaving out thousands of Missouri children. This year’s version of the autism coverage mandate specifically excludes those who get healthcare through the Medicaid program—Mo Healthnet, as it’s called. [Read more...]
A lot of talk in Jefferson City about a policy to keep quiet
February 2, 2010 By
A federal policy that requires some members of the military to keep quiet about their sexual orientation sparked a lot of talk in Jefferson City Tuesday.
State Senator Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City), who is open about her homosexuality, took to the Senate floor to announce her filing of a resolution calling on Congress to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Justus told of Shonda Garrison of Branson who left the military. Justus said that Garrison enlisted in the Army out of high school and planned to make the military her career. She spent a year in the desert of Saudi Arabia in the fall of 1990. Justus said that after eight years of service, Garrison agonized, then made the decision to leave, because she could no longer serve in silence.
“Shonda is gay and under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, she could not enter a committed relationship with the person she loves for fear of losing her career,” Justus told fellow senators. “Shonda Garrison is my partner and she supports the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Countering with a resolution asking Congress to keep Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in place is Sen. Bill Stouffer of Napton, a Republican candidate for Congress who says if elected, he would study the issue.
“My first initial reaction is to leave it as it is,” Stouffer told the Missourinet. “But I am also open to information.”
Stouffer hopes to unseat West-Central Missouri Congressman Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who helped write the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
“And it has worked, in my opinion, quite well for some 17 years,” Skelton told reporters during a news conference held in Jefferson City earlier in the day.
Skelton says he’s personally opposed to changing it.
Autism insurance debate begins
February 2, 2010 By
The state senate has started debating whether private insurance companies should cover treatment of Autism disorders. Wentzville Senator Scott Rupp says, “Out of all of the neuro-biological disorders, which autism is, the top ten are all covered by insurance except autism which is number two in prevalence. ” He says it affects more children than children’s cancer, diabetes and other illnesses and disorders.
Rupp says latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control estimate one out of every 91 children in the nation is on the Autism spectrum. He says there would be a massive public outcry if one out of 91 children became a kidnap victim but if police refuse to look for them because it’s not in their job description.
Rupp says the insurance industry’s refusal to cover Autism therapies is a similar situation. But he says there is too much research, science, and data showing the therapies are proven and effective for insurance companies to keep saying they’re experimental.
More debate is scheduled for tomorrow.
The Senate passed the bill last year 29-2 but it never was debate in the House.
Sen Rupp’s opening statement 17:38 mp3
Link to summary of the bill:
http://www.senate.mo.gov/10info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=3157601
Missouri members of Congress seek to rein in EPA
February 2, 2010 By
Environmental Protection Agency officials would not be allowed to regulate greenhouse gases under legislation being filed by West-Central Missouri Congressman Ike Skelton and Southeast Missouri Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson.
Skelton says their bill would stop the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, keep the EPA from calculating foreign deforestation in setting ethanol and bio-diesel policies and change the definition of bio-mass to benefit US farmers and the renewable fuels industry. [Read more...]
Bears baseball picked second in the Missouri Valley
February 2, 2010 By
A year after winning the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship, the Missouri State baseball team enters the 2010 season picked to finish second in the conference according to a vote of the league’s coaches, the conference announced Tuesday morning.
