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The Disability Policy Collaboration Applaud Passage of the U.S. House of Representatives Affordable Health Care for America Act
For Immediate Release
November 11, 2009
The Disability Policy Collaboration Applaud Passage of the
U.S. House of Representatives Affordable Health Care for America Act
Washington, D.C. - The Disability Policy Collaboration (DPC), a partnership of The Arc of the United States (The Arc) and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) to advance federal disability public policy, applaud the House of Representatives for passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), the House health reform bill.
For people with disabilities, this is an historic vote, which could mean the end to discrimination on the basis of health status and pre-existing conditions for purposes of affordable health insurance coverage. The bill also makes important strides forward in expanding long term services and supports, which will significantly improve the Medicaid program for eligible beneficiaries and create a new program to help people meet long term services and supports expenses, without needing to resort to the impoverishment required for Medicaid eligibility.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act contains several provisions that are critical milestones to people with disabilities, including:
- Major insurance market reforms such as the elimination of discrimination based on health status; a prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions; guaranteed issue and renewal requirements; and elimination of annual and lifetime caps;
- Creation of a high-risk pool to provide immediate assistance to those currently uninsured with pre-existing conditions before insurance market reforms are implemented;
- Inclusion of critical services for people with disabilities in the new Health Insurance Exchange's essential benefits package, such as rehabilitation and habilitation services, durable medical equipment (e.g. wheelchairs), prosthetics, orthotics and related supplies, vision and hearing services, equipment and supplies for children under 21 years of age, behavioral health treatment, and mental health and substance abuse services in compliance with the Wellstone-Domenici parity law;
- Inclusion of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, a new actuarially sound, premium-based, national long term services insurance program to help adults with severe functional impairments to remain independent, employed, and a part of their communities, without having to impoverish themselves to become eligible for Medicaid;
- Inclusion of a "Sense of the Congress" statement regarding the Community First Choice Option to provide Medicaid coverage of community-based attendant services and supports which expresses support for allowing states to offer such services to people otherwise eligible for Medicaid institutional services (basically supporting the Community First Choice Option in the Senate bill); and
- Significant investments in Medicaid to dramatically expand eligibility, including Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) services for millions of children; increased reimbursement for physicians to Medicare rates with significant federal funding to offset the burden on states; and a six month-extension of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's increase to the federal share of Medicaid spending.
"Passage of the House health reform bill represents the single greatest advancement in health care for people with disabilities since the creation of the Medicaid program in 1965," said Stephen Bennett, President CEO, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP). "The provisions it affords people with disabilities are in line with UCP's mission to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through our affiliate network."
Peter Berns, Executive Director of The Arc of the United States, added that "People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are engaged in the process in a way that I have never seen before. They are particularly committed to making sure that improvements to the Medicaid program that help them to live in the community make it into the final legislation."
Both Bennett and Berns pointed out that passage of the House bill, while important, is only the first major step of a process. The next critical step will be Senate passage of its bill. Ultimately, the House and Senate must pass the same bill, and The Arc and UCP will continue to work to ensure inclusion of the critically important provisions in the final health reform bill.About the Disability Policy Collaboration
The Disability Policy Collaboration (DPC) is a partnership of The Arc of the United States (The Arc) and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) to advance federal disability public policy through a merged government affairs office, which combines resources and talent from both organizations. Begun in 2003, the collaboration assures cost-effective performance for its parent organizations, while combining for a more powerful voice for people with disabilities. The DPC leads efforts in mobilizing chapters, affiliates, self-advocates, families and other supporters to become active players in national public policy.
- UCP is a leading service provider for adults and children with disabilities. UCP's mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network, and its services reach over 176,000 adults and children daily through its network of approximately 100 affiliates in the U.S., Canada, Scotland and Australia. For more information, please visit www.ucp.org.
- The Arc is the largest community-based nonprofit working through a network of 732 state and local chapters and their members to advocate on behalf of and serve people with intellectual and related developmental disabilities and their families. The Arc works to improve systems of supports and services, connect families, inspire communities, and influence public policy. It is the only organization that supports persons from pre-natal care through end-of-life issues and over 100 diagnoses that may include the effects of intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Autism. For more information, please visit www.thearc.org.
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