People with disabilities will avoid some health care cuts if the House and Senate agree with what the House Budget Committee passed on March 6 for next year (FY 2009, beginning October 1, 2008). The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently passed some rules that cut off many people with disabilities from […]

Delay is the deadliest form of denial. Many people with severe disabilities apply for Social Security disability benefits, but they have to wait 2 to 3 years for a decision. During that time, without these benefits, people often lose their homes, go without needed medical care, and even die. About 750,000 people are on the […]

Compiled by Peggy Hathaway
Good News to Help People Live Independently
Class Act
To encourage independence, choice, and empowerment, four powerful Congressional leaders have introduced the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act of 2007 to help people cover the cost of long-term services and supports.
The CLASS Act provides for cash benefits for adults with functional disabilities […]

Make SSDI Work for People with Chronic Illness
I wanted to write to you about the single most important issue (outside of a cure) affecting U.S. citizens who suffer from serious chronically disabling diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.
Two months ago, I launched a grassroots initiative to change the way Social Security Disability benefits are […]

Compiled by Peggy Hathaway

Recent Congressional Action
Congress has been busy on legislation affecting people with disabilities. United Spinal Association is working on the following issues:

• Medicare Independent Living Act of 2007 Representatives Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Jim Ramstad (RMN) have introduced H.R. 1809 to help Medicare recipients obtain the mobility devices they need. […]

How does someone with limited resources find an affordable adapted vehicle? Here’s one person’s story…
By Tiffiny Carlson
Note: Some of the terms used in the following article are specific to the state of Minnesota.
Four wheels. We can get them for free from the government if they’re on durable medical equipment, but when […]

Who Can Help You Go Back to Work?
Last month in this space, we looked at programs the Social Security Administration (SSA) offers to make it easier for people who receive benefits to return to the labor force without imperiling their benefits. If you missed that article, you can find it here.
This month, we’ll take a […]

Stem Cell Bill Passes Senate
On April 11, 2007, the Senate passed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (S.5) by a vote of 63 to 34. Research using embryonic stem cells is enormously promising for finding cures for spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) and many other conditions. This bill would lift the federal […]

No Need to Fear: Back to Work Incentives are Here!
Many people with disabilities are scared to go back to work because they fear that they will lose benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). People wonder if they can work and still receive Medicare and Medicaid. The truth […]

One thing I’m painfully aware of as editor of this magazine is that spinal cord disorders (SCD) are expensive. As much as I enjoy bringing readers information about new therapies and technologies to make living with SCD more bearable, I am often struck by the steep price tags these products and services carry. I am […]

Social Security Underfunded Again
United Spinal urges members to act NOW before Congress votes on the 2008 Budget. The Proposed Federal Budget for 2008 again grossly underfunds the Social Security Administration (SSA) and makes other cuts that will hurt seniors and people with disabilities.
Outrageous delays and unanswered calls at Social Security offices are […]

Turn those tax blues into breaks.
By Tom Scott
Tax season is once again upon us. Before you prepare to file your return you may want to ask yourself if you really know your entitlements as a person with a disability. There are income exclusions, tax deductions, and credits available to people with spinal […]

By Tamar Asedo Sherman
Self-employment is an option worth considering if you want to get back to work but don’t think you can handle the stress of going to and from an office, having to arrange transportation, possibly getting a personal care attendant to help you get ready, and maintaining regular business hours.
If […]

In this issue of Action, we focus on the advances in pharmaceutical research that improve our quality of life. One undeniable obstacle faced by many of our members is affordable access to these life-altering medications.
For instance, a prominent physician from a world-class rehabilitation center recently contacted me to express his concern that Ditropan (Oxybutynin), […]

Our offices are buzzing over the potential of our new Congress and we’re hopeful that Democrats and Republicans will come together to push for legislation benefiting our members and all Americans with disabilities.

Congress Passes Bill to Expand Respite Care Services
Thanks to the hard work of advocates across the country, Congress recently approved legislation that would provide help to the nearly 50 million caregivers nationwide. The Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2005 (H.R. 3248/S.1283) was passed by the House on December 6 and by the Senate […]

I would like to propose a little test for all of us to take. Start when you get up in the morning. You will need something to write with and something to write on. Notice I didn’t say pen and paper, since some of us use other means to write, such as a computer or […]

People with SCI/D often develop very strong bonds with their “equipment,” because it is so much more than mere nuts and bolts––it is an essential tool for our hard-won independence. Regrettably, access to the tools we need––particularly power wheelchairs and scooters––cannot be taken for granted and this access is currently under assault by ever-more restrictive […]

Missouri Stem Cell Victory
Missouri voters approved the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative on Election Day, making it a new Missouri State Constitutional Amendment. The amendment protects equal access to any federally approved stem cell research treatments while banning human cloning. It essentially prevents the Missouri Legislature from passing a law that is […]

Social Security: Proposed Cuts Would Hurt People with Disabilities
People with disabilities have long complained about inadequate service from the Social Security Administration (SSA): lengthy delays in applying for disability benefits, poor administration of work incentive programs, and, of course, the ever-present long lines and wait times on the 800 number. Now these problems threaten to […]