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The Senate Finance Committee report accompanying S. 1796, the American's Healthy Future Act of 2009, defines habilitative services and hearing services, equipment and supplies for children under the age of 21 as components of an essential benefit package that must be provided by insurance companies under health care reform. The committee also defines rehabilitation services as essential. The report is the first time the essential benefit package has been specifically defined.
The report further clarifies that insurance companies must provide payment for services defined in the essential benefit package, limit-cost sharing, and not impose any annual or lifetime limits. Specific coverage policies related to habilitative and rehabilitative would be developed after a health care reform proposal is signed into law and goes through the regulatory process.
The Senate Finance Committee proposal is viewed as the base bill from which to develop a compromise; however, it must be combined with legislation passed earlier this year by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The HELP Committee proposal contains similar coverage requirements for rehabilitative and habilitative services.
ASHA was one of many organizations requesting that the Senate Finance Committee specifically address rehabilitative and habilitative services in its health care reform proposal's essential benefit definition. The organization sent a letter to Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) outlining why such benefits are important for children with communication and hearing disorders. For additional information, contact Ingrida Lusis, ASHA's Director of Federal and Political Advocacy, at ilusis@asha.org or by phone at 202-624-5951.
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