Reviewing the System Is Only Part of the Answer

Reviewing the system for awarding disability benefits is necessary but it will not solve the real problem.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204844504577098810070396878.html?mod=rss_Health

It is true that the trust fund for Social Security Disability benefits is running out of money and will not survive another decade.  It is important that this system get reviewed.  However, just reviewing this aspect of the system will not even come close to resolving the issues both the government systems and persons with disabilities face.

One problem we have is that we keep trying to fix pieces of the system.  Our disability policy has more Band-Aids than substance at this time.  But, it appears that we will keep on adding more.  It is a system that is based on the fact that, in the past, persons with disabilities were totally incapable of substantial gainful employment and were likely to die in a few short years.  That is no longer true, but the policy has not changed.

If we had a disability policy and system that reflected today’s reality, we could save the government a great deal of money and, at the same time, make life better for persons with disabilities. 

As things stand now, most people who receive disability benefits live in poverty and are forced to remain in that state in order to receive critical services.  At the same time, persons with disabilities are viewed as lazy (just check the comments at the end of the article) and unwilling to work.  This perception is perpetuated by the lawyers who advertise that people are entitled to these benefits, as though a life of poverty were something to strive for.

It is really time to look at the big picture.

Annette Bourbonniere

www.accessing-ability.com

Twitter:  @AccessInclude

Is Managed Care the Answer for Dual Eligibles?

Is managed care the answer for dual eligibles?

More and more persons with disabilities are among the growing number of dual eligibles, i.e. people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage.  Persons with disabilities are eligible for Medicare either because of age or their disability and are eligible for Medicaid because of the poverty that has been forced upon them. 

There are good arguments both for and against managed care for this population, as can be seen from this article in the LA Times:  http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-healthcare-duals-20111114,0,3197520.story.

Whatever we do to make healthcare better for this population now, we need to be realistic about how this problem came about and decide how to prevent this in the future.  What we do now is focus on one aspect of policy at a time and try to put a bandaid on it.  What we end up with is an unwieldy and unworkable system. 

A disability policy that is based on current reality, that does not force persons with disabilities to live in poverty in order to obtain critical services is needed soon.  Current policy is so expensive the system is about to implode.  It is possible to have a policy that saves government many dollars and still improve the lives of persons with disabilities. 

Annette Bourbonniere

www.accessing-ability.com

401-846-1960

Fax:  401-846-1944

Twitter:  @AccessInclude

Using iPads for Voting

Oregon has begun implementing the use of iPads to assist voters with disabilities. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/us/oregon-tries-out-voting-by-ipad-for-disabled.html?_r=1 Election workers bring the iPads to the voters’ homes or nursing homes, along with a portable printer.  Because there is the ability to enlarge the view for persons with visual impairments and because there is no need to be able to grasp a pen for marking the ballot, this use of technology has the potential to solve a number of problems for voters with disabilities.  Once the ballot is completed, it can be printed out and approved by the voter before mailing or being brought to election stations.  Screen readers can read back the ballot before printing for those who cannot see it to review it.

As more counties and states try this out, it is likely they will look at it as a way for other voters to cast their ballots as well.  Once again, an accommodation will become an innovation.

Annette Bourbonniere

www.accessing-ability.com

401-846-1960

Fax:  401-846-1944

Twitter:  @AccessInclude