June 2023 Advocacy Update

MBTA News You Can Use

The Riders’ Transportation Access Group, coordinated by the Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL), meets monthly via Zoom to exchange news and views on transit and paratransit. Participating is THE BEST WAY to get the MBTA to address problems that you experience! Each meeting now focuses in depth on one or two hot issues, but other observations are welcome. At the May meeting, attendees learned the (disappointing) outcome of the elevator urine-sensor pilot, the June rollout of a new text-messaging option for The RIDE, launch of testing new routing/dispatch software for The RIDE, and more. The next RTAG meeting is on June 29, but in the meantime, consider attending the comprehensive June 7 update on MBTA progress toward full accessibility, pursuant to the 2002 class-action lawsuit filed by BCIL, which created the MBTA Department of System-Wide Accessibility in 2007.

Service Animals in Public Settings

On June 7, 1:00-2:00 PM the Mass Office on Disability (MOD) will offer via Zoom a program on the rights and obligations of service animal users in public places, such as restaurants, stores, and libraries. The presentation and Q&A will attempt to clear up misinformation about service animals and emotional support animals, such as where they are allowed to go, what questions can be asked about them, and what to do if they are not behaving well.

An Overview of Disability Resources from Benefits.gov

Benefits.gov now offers a concise summary article, An Overview of Disability Resources, highlighting healthcare benefits, disability insurance, and where to find other resources on Benefits.gov. The article discusses Parts A, B, and D of Medicare and how Medicare differs from Medicaid. It also provides information on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and discusses how use the Benefit Finder questionnaire to find other programs.

Support Safe Air Travel for Wheelchair Users

Every five years, Congress must renew the authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This gives federal lawmakers an opportunity to examine the airline industry and see if any reforms or updates need to be made. That authorization expires at the end of September 2023, so Congress is preparing to write a new five-year authorization bill and vote on it in the coming months.

This is our moment to push for legislation that will make meaningful policy changes to bring greater accountability and improve the air travel experience for wheelchair users. United Spinal Association supports the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act (H.R. 1267/S. 545), which includes the provision to create new standards for safe and effective boarding and deplaning, seating accommodations, accessible lavatories, and stowage for wheelchairs and assistive devices.

Use the United Spinal webform to let your member of Congress know you care about this!

From The Disability Policy Consortium

ANNOUNCEMENT: MassHealth Members Must Confirm Their Eligibility

In the News:

Healey: 300,000 people will likely get dropped from MassHealth this year

More than 2.3 million Bay Staters currently receive state-sponsored health insurance through MassHealth, up 31% since before the pandemic.

"More than 2.3 million Bay Staters currently receive their health insurance through MassHealth, up 31% since February 2020, Gov. Maura Healey’s office noted in a Wednesday press release. That higher figure comes partly as a result of federal continuous eligibility requirements that lasted throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency, according to the release.

However, with the emergency declaration set to expire on May 11, MassHealth is beginning to re-determine whether its members are still eligible. State officials project that enrollment will eventually shrink to around 1.9 million members during the 2024 fiscal year, the State House News Service reported. 

“We know what we’re facing right now this spring with redetermination. We know the work that we need to do,” Healey said at a press conference Wednesday announcing the state’s 2024 budget proposal.

Of the enrollment projections, she added: “I think those numbers reflect our best educated estimate of what is necessary and appropriate to meet this moment and the needs of folks who have been accessing MassHealth.”'

To read the whole article follow this link: https://www.boston.com/news/health/2023/03/02/masshealth-redetermination-maura-healey-300000-estimate/?amp=1

Ask Your Legislators to Co-Sponsor the Wheelchair Warranty Bill (H.378/S.152)

We need your help to build support for the wheelchair warranty bill (H.378/S.152)! Please use the "Take Action" form below to reach out to your state legislators and ask them to co-sponsor the bill. If they are already co-sponsoring, you'll be able to thank them instead. We encourage you to add a personal story and make the email your own, because legislators want to hear why the bill is important to you!

H.378/S.152, "An Act expanding wheelchair warranty protections for consumers with disabilities", will build on the existing wheelchair warranty law to cover more people and hold wheelchair companies accountable to consumers. Click "Learn More" below for more details.

If you would like to do more you can testify on this bill, please contact the Disability Policy Consortium, and they'll be happy to work with you to help prepare testimony and keep you updated on when the hearing is/other actions! 

 For more info contact Harry Weissman at hweissman@dpcma.org or 617-977-4084.

From United Spinal National

Debt Limit Discussions Continue - The Devastating Consequences of Medicaid Cuts - June 1 Deadline

As United Spinal reported last month, debt limit discussions are continuing this week in the U.S. Congress and with the White House.  

Provisions included in the Limit Save Grow Act, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of April, require Medicaid recipients to work 80 hours per month. Exceptions exist for people with dependent children, those under age 19 or 56 or over, or individuals enrolled in an educational program.

Limits to Medicaid would disproportionately harm people with disabilities. Check out your state fact sheet to see how it would impact you, and then contact your Member of Congress to share your concerns.

The debt limit or ceiling is the maximum amount of money that the U.S. Treasury can borrow. Increasing the debt limit allows the Treasury to borrow funds to pay for programs, like Medicaid, due to laws and budgets already approved by the President and Congress.

Accessible Air Travel Advocacy

Policy Spotlight – Accessible Air Travel
NEW: Check out our new Policy Spotlight page.

Up first, United Spinal puts a spotlight on accessible air travel. Here you can find related advocacy actions, relevant statistics, issue papers and blog posts about advocates’ and members’ lived experiences related to air travel. Check back soon for more new content.

Dangerous Air Travel is #justplanewrong
United Spinal is fighting to make air travel safer and more accessible for our community. Legislation has been introduced to do that, and we have a great opportunity for it to pass this year — if we all take action and spread the word.

#justplanewrong; #flightmares

Follow us on social media, share with your networks and let’s fix air travel together.

Date Change for June’s Advocacy Live – Now June 27th at 1 pm ET

Date Change for June’s Advocacy Live – Now June 27th at 1 pm ET
The June Advocacy Live has changed from June 20th to June 27th at 1 pm ET. This is a special date change for June only. Register for this event.

Disability Community Celebrates Newly Expanded Medicare Benefit for Power Wheelchairs

  • Power seat elevation for all power wheelchairs is eligible for Medicare coverage immediately.

  • CMS pointed to the 2,100 public comments received by wheelchair users, advocates, clinicians, and researchers for this change in coverage.

  • Coverage of seat elevation allows power wheelchair users to reach higher and more easily handle mobility-related activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and preparing and eating meals.

  • Visit here for more information.

Advocacy Program Working Groups

Also, we are still looking for participants for our working groups. Information on each of the four working groups can be found on the webpage, along with the form to sign-up to participate. Please contact Steve Lieberman at slieberman@unitedspinal.org or Annie Streit at astreit@unitedspinal.org if you have any questions. We are extremely proud of the growth of this dedicated network of advocates!