AAHD has joined 215 organizations, led by the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), asking Congress to require 12 months continuous Medicaid and CHIP eligibility for children. The September 14 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.
Audio-Only Telehealth Services – Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
AAHD has joined a coalition led by the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) submitting comments to CMS asking for an audio-only telehealth Medicare billing code. The Sept 13 letter is here: PDF. […]
Enforcing Behavioral Health Parity in Health Insurance Coverage
AAHD has joined a Kennedy Forum led request that the Senate accept a House provision strengthening the federal government enforcement of behavioral health insurance parity. The September 10 letter is here: PDF. […]
Assisting Low-Income Medicare Recipients
AAHD has joined a organizations led by the National Council on Aging, asking Congress to assist Medicare beneficiaries with medications and non-covered health benefits. The September 8 letter is here: PDF. […]
Medicare Part D Medications – Unaffordable Out-of-Pocket Costs
AAHD has joined 132 organizations, led by the Alliance for Aging Research, asking Congress to enact protections to prevent unaffordable out-of-pocket Medicare medication costs. The September 9 letter is here: PDF. […]
Opposing Increasing Federal Match for Medicaid ICFs/ID-DD Services
AAHD has joined the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Task Force on LTSS opposing proposed legislation to increase the Medicaid FMAP (Federal Medical Assistance Percentage) for Intermediate Care Facilities serving persons with ID-DD (ICFs-ID-DD). The proposal is a reaction to the disability community efforts to increase spending for Medicaid HCBS (home-and-community-based services) (Better Care […]
Surprise Medical Billing – Disability Community Comments to CMS
AAHD has joined the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Task Force on Health comments to CMS on surprise medical billing. The CCD comments focused on network adequacy and effective communication. The September 7 CCD letter is here: PDF. […]
PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) – Comments on PCORI Proposed Priorities – (2)
The National Health Council (NHC), with AAHD as a member, submitted comments to PCORI on PCORI’s proposed priorities. On August 30 we posted the PIPC comments on PCORI. The August 27 NHC letter is here: PDF. […]
Medicaid HCBS – Why Proposed Full Funding in the Infrastructure/Jobs Act is Necessary
Congressional leaders in the infrastructure/jobs legislation are debating whether to fund the Medicaid home-and-community-based services (HCBS) proposed authority (Better Care Better Jobs Act) at the initially proposed $400 billion or a reduced $100-$150 billion (or somewhere between). Available here is a Senate Select Committee on Aging staff memo explaining why $400 billion is necessary. […]
Medicare Coverage of Low Vision Aids and Medicare Vision Benefits
AAHD has joined the Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid (ITEM) Coalition asking Congress to authorize low vision aids as a Medicare benefit, in the pending Budget Reconciliation legislation. The September 1 ITEM Coalition letter is here: PDF. […]