NMBIA Seeks to Require Insurance Coverage for Brain Injury Services

The New Mexico Brain Injury Alliance is working to introduce legislation create a law to require insurance coverage for services related to brain injury.  The proposed legislation seeks to mandate integrated access to brain injury services across the continuum of care. 

Specifically, the law will address the following issues:

• Seamless, integrated care for the treatment of brain injury, whether it is in the Emergency Department, Surgical, Sub-Acute Care and Post-Acute care settings (to include: long term care, rehabilitation hospitals, etc.)
• Allow the diagnosis of brain injury to occur outside of the “hospital setting”, and could be made by other professionals.
• Integrated care directed by specialist doctors or teams of professionals trained in brain injury treatment and rehabilitation.
• Cover psychological, medical, physical and any remediation for treatment of brain injury. This may also include, but is not limited to:
  • Cognitive  and/or neurocognitive therapy
  • Neurobehavioral, neuropsychological tests and their related treatment
  • Post-acute transition, community reintegration, outpatient day treatment, other post-acute care related to brain injury.
• Access to post-acute care neuro rehabilitation and rehabilitation centers, out-patient treatment and long term supports by certified and licensed providers will be covered.
• All forms of Brain Injuries shall be covered as prescribed by the treating physicians:  definition of brain injury to include Stroke, Tumors, TBI, hypoxia/anoxia, neurotoxicity, etc.
• Service and care will be provided to all age groups.
• No set lifetime limit on post-acute care treatment related to brain injury.

For more information on this proposed legislation, contact:

Delfy Roach
Executive Director
NM Brain Injury Alliance – 888.292.7415
Families ASAP – 855.484.0144
NM Systems of Care – 855.484.0144
Fax: 505.271.8983
www.braininjurynm.org