A 2022 Maine bill that granted enhanced prosthetic coverage to children with limb loss was a major impetus for a campaign encouraging other states to pass laws that clarify insurance coverage of activity-specific prostheses and orthoses. This culminated in the creation of the So Kids Can Move (SKCM) initiative. Soon after similar legislation was introduced in additional states, some state legislative champions began questioning why the bill’s benefits ended at age 18 or 21. When multiple states began introducing similar bills applicable to individuals of all ages, the campaign recognized the reality and the promise of a broader approach.1 The So Every BODY Can Move (SEBCM) initiative was then formalized, a modified campaign to improve coverage of activity-specific prostheses and orthoses for individuals of all ages.
This article explores the factors state legislative champions and SEBCM advocates must consider when determining whether to introduce legislation applicable to people with limb loss and limb impairment of all ages or whether to confine the scope of the legislation to children alone. The decision turns on federal nondiscrimination protections based on age, the fiscal pressures and realities in each state, and the facts and circumstances within each state where these laws are being considered.
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