Big Changes to Come in Health Care for People with Disabilities

posted on Mar 23 by Admin in the Disability Law, Disability News, Healthcare category

On Monday The House of Representatives sent a health care reform bill to the president that will mean big changes for people with disabilities. The bill reform, which passed on a vote of  219 to 212, will primarily eliminate insurance caps and loopholes while expanding Medicaid eligibility and long-term care options. President Obama has been a vocal supporter of this health care reform bill and is expected to sign off on it soon.

The new bill requires most Americans to have health insurance and providers are no longer able to deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Congressmen have long battled over the specifics of this health care reform bill because it is so wide reaching and affects so many Americans.

“This is far more historic for people with disabilities than it is for the average American,” said Liz Savage who is director of health and housing policy at the Disability Policy Collaboration. Disability Policy Collaboration is a joint lobbying initiative of The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy. “We’ve been trying to get these reforms enacted for decades.”

The bill includes The Community First Choice Option which promotes community-based living options for people with disabilities. The bill has provisions that would require insurance to cover both rehabilitation and habilitation services including mental health benefits.

All of the changes are a big deal for people with disabilities who face high rates of unemployment and often can’t qualify for coverage because of their condition, says Laurel Stine. Stine is the director of federal relations at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

“People with disabilities and mental illness they will no longer be in fear of being denied coverage,” Stine said.