AAHD has joined the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Task Forces on Health and LTSS submitting recommendations to the Congress on recovery legislative provisions. The June 10 letter is here: PDF. […]
Policy Updates
The American Association on Health and Disability plays an important role in disability policy and advocacy at the national level. AAHD strives to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities receive attention and respect on the national legislative agenda. AAHD is involved in numerous disability coalitions and networks that address the needs of people with disabilities. Please visit the Policy site to learn more about our activities in this area. AAHD staff maintain an active role in Washington, DC to ensure that health promotion and wellness for people with disabilities is on the disability and healthcare agenda. AAHD staff have positions on the APHA, Disability Section, Executive Council; the CDC, NCBDDD, Executive Committee; Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities-CCD and serve on the National Health Council; Coalition for Health Funding; Disability Rehabilitation and Research Coaltion; Coalition for Whole Health, Patient Care Primary Care Collaborative; and other coalitions advocating for policy that works towards reducing health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population and reducing the incidence of secondary conditions in children and adults with disabilities.
COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts – HHS OCR on Persons with Disabilities
Available is the HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) response to the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) on vaccination efforts and persons with disabilities. Available here are the May 28 OCR and April 8 CCD letters. […]
Therapy Reductions in Medicare Funded Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs)
AAHD has joined the Coalition To Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR) sharing field experiences that therapy in SNFs has declined and asking CMS for better collection and publication of utilization and outcome data. The June 7 CPR letter is here: PDF. […]
Patient-Reported Outcome Performance Measures (PRO-PMs) – Disability Comments to NQF
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have endorsed Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) comments submitted to the National Quality Forum (NQF) on their draft PRO-PMs report for public comment. We also encouraged NQF to more effectively utilize their previous reports on person-centeredness and home-and-community-based services (HCBS). Deadline for submission to NQF is June 21. Available […]
Legislative Improvements to the SSI Program – Disability Community Statement to Congress
AAHD has joined the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) recommending to Congress legislative improvements to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The May 20 CCD letter is here: PDF. […]
Medicaid HCBS – To Congress – Include in Biden Administration Jobs-Infrastructure Proposal
AAHD has joined the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and Disability and Aging Collaborative (DAC) requesting Congress to include the Medicaid home-and-community-based services (HCBS) enhancements in the Administration jobs/infrastructure legislation. The May 27 letter is here: PDF. […]
Appropriations Funding for NIDILRR, ICD, and Some CDC Programs
AAHD has joined fellow Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) members requesting annual funding for NIDILRR, ICD, and some CDC programs. The May 26 letters of request to the House and Senate are here: House letter; Senate letter. […]
Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act – HR 3550
AAHD has joined 31 organizations endorsing Rep Lauren Underwood (IL) legislation which would require private insurance plans to cover 3 annual primary care and 3 annual behavioral health visits without co-pay. Rep Underwood’s May 26 press release summarizing the legislation (HR 3550) and listing the endorsing organizations is available here: PDF. […]
Creating a Federal Income Tax Credit for Caregivers (HR 3321; S. 1670)
AAHD has joined a 68 organization coalition, led by AARP, endorsing legislation to establish a federal income tax credit for caregivers (HR 3321; S. 1670). Available here are the coalition endorsement letter, an AARP fact sheet; and an AARP infographic. […]
Advocating Behavioral Health Workers Set-Aside in the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act Public Health Workforce Funding
Nineteen (19) members of the U.S. House have written HHS advocating that there be a behavioral health worker set-aside in the American Rescue Plan Act public health workforce funding. Several BH national organizations have advocated this. Public Health association response is not known by AAHD. The May 21 19 House members letter is here: PDF. […]