On October 1, 2013, uninsured Americans will be able to shop for coverage and access health insurance subsidies through either their state ACA health insurance marketplace or the federal ACA health insurance marketplace.
However, many in the disability community may be unfamiliar with how the Affordable Care Act will impact them or are left without a clear understanding of opportunities or challenges under the ACA.
Below are two excerpts from a 17 page policy brief by *ASAN on the Affordable Care Act. While the primary purpose of the brief addresses the impact & use of the ACA within the Intellectual/Developmental Disability Community (I/DD), the brief contains comprehensive information for all by providing relevant provisions of the ACA law and analyzes key priorities for state & federal level advocacy.
I encourage a careful read of the entire brief for anyone interested in the ACA, especially so for those with connections to the I/DD community.
The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community
An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward
Policy brief September 2013
Ari Ne’eman, Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Introduction
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have long faced
significant and persistent barriers in health care access and outcomes. The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-148) offers unique opportunities to improve the health care experiences of people with I/DD.
The majority of public attention regarding the ACA has focused on the goal of universal coverage. Yet, for people with I/DD access to health insurance coverage has never been the primary challenge. This population has been primarily covered by public health insurance options, such as Medicaid and Medicare.
Although most people with I/DD receive health insurance benefits, research has consistently demonstrated significant disparities in access to quality healthcare for members of the I/DD community.
Thus, it is critically important for policymakers and advocates to recognize the ACA’s substantial impact on healthcare for people with I/DD.
Conclusion
The Affordable Care Act is the most significant change to our nation’s health
insurance system since the creation of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
As the ACA comes into full implementation in 2014, the disability community will have access to meaningful opportunities to enhance access to and the quality of health care service provision.
To accomplish this, advocates, policymakers and researchers must collaborate to monitor implementation, identify barriers to the fulfillment of key policy objectives and structure necessary program changes.
While the ACA sets up a distinct healthcare infrastructure through the establishment of the exchange marketplaces, close coordination with Medicaid and full use of the ACA’s new and renewed Medicaid state options should remain a vital priority.
The Affordable Care Act’s impact on the I/DD community has already been significant. Through advocacy and collaboration between policymakers and I/DD community stakeholders, the positive impacts of the ACA can be strengthened and expanded in the years to come.
Link to read/print the entire brief (pdf):
http://autisticadvocacy.org/...
*The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a non-profit organization run by and for autistic people. ASAN provides support and services to individuals on the autism spectrum while working to change public perception and combat misinformation. Our activities include public policy advocacy, community engagement to encourage inclusion and respect for neurodiversity, quality of life oriented research and the development of autistic cultural activities. www.autisticadvocacy.org