When the topic of access to health care comes up, the discussion usually revolves around insurance and who is going to pay for services. For persons with disabilities, that is a very real problem since many persons with disabilities are not employed. Even those who are employed are often not eligible for insurance because of pre-existing conditions. The only solution for members of this population is to self insure or to impoverish themselves to become eligible for Medicaid.
But, there is an even more pressing problem with access to healthcare for persons with disabilities. Once inside the door, actual physical access becomes a problem. In many older buildings, doors, and sometimes even resetrooms, are not wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs. Some buildings -- and these are not necessarily old buildings -- are built with rooms that are so small that furniture has to be moved to fit a wheelchair in the exam room. Talk about an awkward situation!
But that's still not the worst thing. How does one get onto an exam table that is 3 feet high? If a person can't stand, how does that person get weighed? And how accessible is medical testing?
The federal Americans with Disabilities Act is 20 years old. Persons with disabilities are a growing population. Health care providers are seeing persons with disabilities in settings that they never saw them before.
We need to find a way to create true access.
Annette Bourbonniere
401-846-1960
Fax: 401-846-1944
Twitter: @AccessInclude
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