AAHD Public Policy Agenda

The American Association on Health & Disability is a national cross-disability organization that conducts research, engages the community, and facilitates the development and implementation of programs to advance public health and healthcare policy for the health and wellness of people with disabilities. Through these actions, AAHD is committed to eliminating systemic barriers to healthcare and drive health equity for people across all disabilities, valuing the diverse and intersecting identities within the disability community. AAHD connects people with disabilities, disability advocates, health practitioners, researchers, and policy makers to accessible cross-disability health data and resources—creating a more inclusive society where data-driven healthcare leads to more equitable health outcomes.

AAHD 2025 Public Policy Priorities:

Affordable, Accessible Health Care

At a minimum, maintain existing Medicaid, Medicare, and Affordable Care Act marketplace health insurance coverage for Persons with Disabilities. Support more comprehensive health insurance coverage through Medicaid, Medicare, and Affordable Care Act marketplace, including addressing gaps in current coverage. Promote more effective and person-centered services and supports for persons dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

Empowered Community Living

Expand Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) and address the Medicaid Institutional Bias including expanding & strengthening the HCBS Infrastructure. Work toward the ideal of a HCBS Medicaid benefit (rather than a state Medicaid waiver option) to ensure person-centered, individualized supports toward community living and recovery.

Build Towards Health Equity

Continue to work towards eliminating health disparities in order to promote health and wellness in people with disabilities. Support inclusive healthy communities and full accessibility including maintenance of existing protections through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, ACA Section 1557 prohibitions against discrimination, and Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).

Demographic Data Including Disability

Continue to assertively advocate Collection, Analysis, and Regularly Publicly Reporting of demographic factors including disability status, race, ethnicity, sex, age, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socio-economic status, in all settings and by setting. Ideally, the data system analysis should be able to cross-walk between these various precise demographic factors; for example, disability status and race.

Strengthen and Expand Disability Research

Strengthen the recognition, activity, and funding of disability research across federal agencies, including recovery and community empowerment/living.

Integrate Care for Whole Person Health

Support efforts to reduce program silo barriers and increase the integrated program responses for persons with co-occurring disability and chronic illness, co-occurring disability and behavioral health challenges, and co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder. Expand the patient/consumer centered health (medical) home and promote the bi-directional integration of behavioral health, general health, and primary care.

Identify Impacts of Health-Related Social Needs

Support federal government efforts to identify and reduce Social Drivers of Health (SDOH)/Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs) and better align federal and state health programs to reduce disparities and increase equity.

Promote Self-Management and Self-Direction in Systems and Supports

Promote a recovery-oriented and community-based model of mental health support and care, focused on Self-Management, and Self-Direction. Support recognizing, strengthening, and expanding funding for Community Health Workers, Direct Support Professionals, Peer Specialists and Supports, and the Long Term Care Workforce. Promote publicly reported Quality and Performance Measurement in all service delivery settings to empower human-centered, individualized care.

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AAHD pursues its public policy work in collaboration with our partner organization, the Lakeshore Foundation. The Lakeshore Foundation (www.lakeshore.org) mission is to enable people with physical disability and chronic health conditions to lead healthy, active, and independent lifestyles through physical activity, sport, recreation and research. Lakeshore is a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site; the UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative is a world-class research program in physical activity, health promotion and disability linking Lakeshore’s programs with the University of Alabama, Birmingham’s research expertise.