Dear Delegate Sullivan:
My name is Jeff Stockwell, and I live in Ashland, Virginia. I am writing in support of HB216, Delegate Dan Helmer’s legislation addressing insurance coverage for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices. I understand the bill was left in the House Labor and Commerce Committee in February and is now being considered through the Health Insurance Reform Commission review process.
This issue is personal to my family. My nephew, Gavin Yonce, is a 13-year-old from Mechanicsville who was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone cancer in his right leg. He endured 14 rounds of chemotherapy and underwent rotationplasty surgery. Gavin loves baseball and has worked hard to return to the activities he enjoys. Yet while insurance covered a prosthetic for everyday walking, it did not cover the specialized prosthetic he needs to run, swim, and play baseball. Gavin has even shared his experience with Virginia lawmakers. His story shows why coverage for activity-specific prosthetics matters to families like ours.
Gavin’s story was featured by CBS 6 on July 28, 2026: https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/richmond/gavin-yonce-advocates-athletes-without-limbs-july-28-2026
I understand that resources for an actuarial cost assessment have been a concern. The So Every BODY Can Move team has offered actuarial data and analyses from other states for the Bureau of Insurance to review and verify. The Commission also previously examined a prosthetics coverage mandate in 2021, which may provide useful background for this review.
With the Commission scheduled to meet on November 5, I respectfully ask that HB216 be included on that meeting’s agenda, if the agenda is still open, or otherwise on the next available agenda. I also ask the Commission to consider voting to direct the Bureau of Insurance to begin an assessment and establish a target completion date.
Can I count on your support for moving this review forward? Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jeff Stockwell
Ashland, Virginia 23005
Dear Delegate Sullivan: My name is Jeff Stockwell, and I live in Ashland, Virginia. I am writing in support of HB216, Delegate Dan Helmer’s legislation addressing insurance coverage for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices. I understand the bill was left in the House Labor and Commerce Committee in February and is now being considered through the Health Insurance Reform Commission review process. This issue is personal to my family. My nephew, Gavin Yonce, is a 13-year-old from Mechanicsville who was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone cancer in his right leg. He endured 14 rounds of chemotherapy and underwent rotationplasty surgery. Gavin loves baseball and has worked hard to return to the activities he enjoys. Yet while insurance covered a prosthetic for everyday walking, it did not cover the specialized prosthetic he needs to run, swim, and play baseball. Gavin has even shared his experience with Virginia lawmakers. His story shows why coverage for activity-specific prosthetics matters to families like ours. Gavin’s story was featured by CBS 6 on July 28, 2026: https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/richmond/gavin-yonce-advocates-athletes-without-limbs-july-28-2026 I understand that resources for an actuarial cost assessment have been a concern. The So Every BODY Can Move team has offered actuarial data and analyses from other states for the Bureau of Insurance to review and verify. The Commission also previously examined a prosthetics coverage mandate in 2021, which may provide useful background for this review. With the Commission scheduled to meet on November 5, I respectfully ask that HB216 be included on that meeting’s agenda, if the agenda is still open, or otherwise on the next available agenda. I also ask the Commission to consider voting to direct the Bureau of Insurance to begin an assessment and establish a target completion date. Can I count on your support for moving this review forward? Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Jeff Stockwell Ashland, Virginia 23005