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APPLL Update: Celebrating a Victory and Building for the Future
By Morgan Sheets  On July 7, 2006, Rhode Island
became the fourth state to pass legislation requiring prosthetic
coverage. HB 7020 and SB 2176 were both introduced early in the
year and faced many hurdles. It was recommended that the House bill
be held for further study, a step that may have kept the bill from
moving forward. But on April 12, the House committee recommended
the bill for passage. The bill passed out of the House on May 31.
The Senate version was referred to the Health and Human Services
Committee at the beginning of June.
Many of the Rhode Island activists were concerned that the bill
might get stuck at this stage, given that this committee is a tough
place for mandates, even one with such strong support and solid
evidence demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of prosthetic
provision. But on June 19, the committee recommended passage of the
bill. And on June 21, the full Senate passed the bill.
Rhode Island joins Colorado,
Maine, and New Hampshire in
ensuring that people with limb loss get the care they need to lead
productive, independent lives. The Amputee Coalition of America
(ACA) continues its work to help additional states pass these very
important bills by organizing strategy meetings, building and
strengthening campaign committees, and enhancing the resources
available to states.
The New Jersey Financial Institutions and
Insurance Committee recommended A1011 for passage on Monday, June
12. The next step is a floor vote, which is likely to occur after
the summer recess.
Pennsylvania's bill also is on the move. It did
not receive a hearing before the legislators went into summer
recess, but we are continuing to coordinate with members and
activists to ensure that HB 2718 is given a public hearing before
the 2006 session adjourns.
Morgan Sheets is the national campaign director for the
Action Plan for People with Limb Loss ( APPLL). She can be reached
at APPLL@amputee-coalition.org 
Table Of Contents - September 2006
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