Dear Senator Kennedy:

The following members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) are writing to express our deep appreciation for the effort that has gone into getting the Affordable Health Choices Act successfully passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.  This comprehensive health reform legislation represents a positive sea change that will significantly improve access to health and long term services and supports for people with disabilities and chronic conditions.

CCD, a coalition of national consumer, service provider and professional organizations, advocates on behalf of persons with disabilities and chronic conditions and their families. We believe that the goal of health care reform should be to assure that all Americans, including people with disabilities and chronic conditions, have access to high quality, comprehensive, affordable health care that meets their individual needs and enables them to be healthy, functional, live as independently as possible, and participate in the community. This measure goes a long way toward meeting that goal.

Many of the provisions will greatly improve the lives of people with disabilities and chronic conditions.  In particular, we strongly support the insurance market reforms, including guaranteed issue and renewal of coverage in the individual and small group markets, the prohibition of pre-existing health condition exclusions, and the end of annual and lifetime insurance caps with a limit on out of pocket spending.

We greatly appreciate the bill’s recognition of essential benefit categories that improve the ability of people with disabilities and chronic conditions to maintain and improve their functional ability.  Specifically, we are most grateful for the Committee’s inclusion of coverage of rehabilitation and habilitation “devices” as well as services in the essential benefits package.  This statutory language establishes coverage for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) which are critical to the disability and chronic illness population.  The bill also covers as essential benefits rehabilitative, habilitative, and mental health and substance abuse services -- all of which are critical to enabling people with disabilities to function independently.

We also applaud the inclusion of the Community Living Assistance Supports and Services (CLASS) Act in the Affordable Health Choices Act. For persons with disabilities and chronically ill older Americans – arguably the most vulnerable populations in the nation – long term services and supports are their primary unmet care need, and are critical to promoting health and preventing illness.  The landmark CLASS Act is the threshold to meaningful change ensuring that individuals are able to function as independently as possible within their homes, families, and their communities. 

Thank you for your leadership on these critical issues.  We look forward to continuing to work with you and your staff to secure final passage of meaningful and comprehensive health reform legislation that meets the needs of all Americans this year.

Sincerely,

ACCSES

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

American Association of People with Disabilities

American Association on Health and Disability

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association

American Network of Community Options and Resources

American Occupational Therapy Association

American Therapeutic Recreation Association

Amputee Coalition of America

Association of University Centers on Disabilities

Autism Society of America

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Brain Injury Association of America

Burton Blatt Institute

Council for Learning Disabilities

Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

Easter Seals

Epilepsy Foundation

Higher Education Consortium for Special Education

Learning Disabilities Association of America

Lutheran Services in America

Mental Health America

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services

National Association of State Head Injury Administrators

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare

National Council on Independent Living

National Disability Rights Network

National Down Syndrome Congress

National Down Syndrome Society

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

National Rehabilitation Association

National Respite Coalition

National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Paralyzed Veterans of America

TASH

Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children

The Arc of the United States

United Cerebral Palsy 

United Spinal Association

World Institute on Disability