The 340 B medications assistance program was established in 1992 – administered by HRSA – federal financial support for access to prescription medications (significant discounts) in qualified health care programs serving underserved populations. FQHCs are the most publicized provider. Qualifying hospitals account for 87% of medication purchases. Contract pharmacies do the medication distribution; dispensing fees […]
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.
Behavioral Health IT Medicaid and Medicare Investment Request
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined the Behavioral Health Information Technology (BH IT) Coalition letter to HHS and ONC requesting CMS CMMI (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation) investment in BH IT. The July 23 letter is here: PDF. […]
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee – Draft Strategic Plan
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) comments to and on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee draft strategic plan. The focus of the CCD comments – maintaining the last 13 years structure and process. The August 20 CCD letter is here: PDF. […]
Medicare Remote Monitoring of Chronic Conditions – Ask CMS To Maintain
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined hundreds of organizations led by the Alliance for Connected Care, asking CMS to maintain existing remote monitoring of chronic conditions for Medicare beneficiaries. Read the August 24 Alliance letter here. […]
Medicare Patient Protections and Medications – Coalition to U.S. Senate
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined 86 organizations of the Partnership To Improve Patient Care (PIPC) submitting RFI comments to the Senate Committee on Finance minority on strengthening patient protections, including QALY (Quality Adjusted Life Years) protections and individualized treatment decisions when regulating Medicare drug prices. Read the August 17 PIPC letter. […]
Medicare Lightweight Wheelchair Technology (HR 1730)
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined the Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid (ITEM) Coalition letter to the U.S. Senate supporting House passed legislation (HR 1703) for clinically appropriate Medicare support of lightweight wheelchair technology. Read the August 17 ITEM letter. […]
NIDILRR Grant Funding Delays – Disability Research Concerns
AAHD, as a steering committee member, has joined the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) letter to ACL (Administration for Community Living) expressing concerns with the grant funding delays with Congressionally appropriated NIDILRR research funding. Read the August 10 DRRC letter to ACL here. […]
Proposed ICD-10 Diagnosis Code for Spasticity
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined the Coalition To Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR) proposing to the CDC NCHS a new ICD-10 Diagnosis Code of Spasticity. Read the August 10 CPR letter to NCHS. […]
Medicaid Home-and-Community-Based Services (HCBS) – Senate Legislation – Expanded HCBS as a Mandatory Medicaid Benefit
AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined 27 national endorsing organizations supporting Senate legislation to authorize an expanded HCBS program as a mandatory Medicaid benefit. The legislation is sponsored by Senators Lujan (NM) and Kaine(VA) and 15 Senate co-sponsors. Senators Lujan and Kaine introductory statement summarizes the legislation and lists the 17 Senators and the […]
Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements: CMS Interim Final Rules – Physician Groups Submissions and Opposition
Available here are the July 29 American Medical Association (AMA) and July 31 America’s Physician Groups (APG) submissions to CMS on the interim final rules implementing Medicaid work and community engagement requirements. Also available is the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) July 31 submission. All three organizations oppose the regulation, particularly as the AMA says – […]