15th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 13-15, 2016 • San Diego, CA
3/06/2012 | 2:15 PM - 2:45 PM | Grand Ballroom A | 9 - Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement
Legislation for Insurance Coverage of Children’s Hearing Aids
The NC General Assembly mandated newborn hearing screening for all babies in 1999, with full implementation effective August 1, 2000. A preponderance of evidence has shown that early identification and intervention for children with hearing loss has a profound effect on their ability to understand and use language. With early identification and intervention, children with hearing loss will be ready to enter kindergarten on par with their hearing peers. During the 2010 Session of the NC General Assembly, legislation was passed requiring NC-based health benefit plans, including the State Employee Health Plan, to include coverage of hearing aids for children with hearing loss, birth through age 21, of $2,500 per ear every 36 months. On June 7, 2010, NC Governor Beverly Perdue signed this legislation into law effective January 1, 2011.
Through the efforts of numerous professionals, parents and children over a two-year period this legislation passed all House and Senate committees and both chambers unanimously. Each of these constituencies was essential to the bill’s passage. However, the regular and vigilant attention from one person who was available to frequently be present at the legislature was critical to ensure the bill’s step-by-step movement through the legislative process.
This presentation will describe the process used to achieve this law. While most participants will have a basic understanding of “how a bill becomes a law,” this presentation will use the journey of the North Carolina hearing aid bill to explain the realities of garnering support for a bill, introducing a bill, educating legislators about a bill, engaging parents and professionals impacted by the bill to engage legislators, and the importance of having at least one individual who is able to track the bill’s progress through the legislature. Specific examples will be provided and included in handouts.
- Following this presentation, participants will be able to: • Identify potential “partners” in their states with whom they will collaborate to introduce and pass legislation, • List the necessary steps to follow to ensure passage of legislation, and • Draft “sample” handouts to explain the essential components of an issue/bill designed to explain the essential components of the issue/bill.
Presentation:
This presentation has not yet been uploaded or the speaker has opted not to make the presentation available online.
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
CART:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Joni Alberg
(POC,Primary Presenter), Oberkotter Foundation, jalberg@oberkotterfoundation.org;
Joni Alberg. Joni joined the Oberkotter Foundation as Family Support Programs Officer on October 1, 2014. Previously, she served as Executive Director of BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. in NC from 1999 until October 2014. BEGINNINGS provides emotional support, information, and technical assistance to parents throughout North Carolina who have children from birth through age 21 with a hearing loss. Joni holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Special Education from Florida State University and a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Alberg has more than 30 years professional experience as a special education teacher, administrator, researcher and business executive.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -