Mission

The CCD Health Task Force works on all the issues encompassed in the very broad term "health". Specific emphasis is placed on private health insurance; public programs such as Medicaid and Medicare; managed care, as well as quality assurance and consumer education and protections.

Co-chairs

• Mary Andrus
  Easter Seals (ES)
  202-347-3066 phone
  202-737-7914 fax
  mandrus@easterseals.com

• Tim Nanof
  American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
  301-652-2682 phone
  301-652-7711 fax
  tnanof@aota.org

• Liz Savage
  The Arc (DPC)
  202-783-2229 phone
  202-783-8250 fax
  savage@thedpc.org

• Angela Ostrom
  Epilepsy Foundation
  301-918-3766 phone
  301-577-2684 fax
  aostrom@efa.org

• Peter Thomas
  American Therapeutic RecreationAssociation (ATRA)
  202-466-6550 phone
  202-785-1756 fax
  peter.thomas@ppsv.com
  American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMPRA)
  202-466-6550 phone
  202-785-1756 fax
  peter.thomas@ppsv.com
  National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & Prosthetics (NAAOP)
  202-466-6550 phone
  202-785-1756 fax
  pthomas@ppsv.com (NAAOP)
  American Congress of Community Supports & Employment Svcs (ACCSES)
  202 466-3355 phone
  202-466-7571 fax
  peter.thomas@ppsv.com
  American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R)
  202 466-6550 phone
  202-785-1756 fax
  peter.thomas@ppsv.com
  

Activities

• Health Task Force Annual Report [PDF][WORD] (January 12, 2010))
• Disability Community's Recommendations to House-Senate Conference on Health Reform (January 11, 2010)
• Disability Community Supports Critical Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) (December 23, 2009)
• The Disability Community Supports Critical Provisions in the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) (November 10, 2009)
• Sign On Letter In Support of Senator Kerry’s Medigap Nondiscrimination Legislation (September 15, 2009)
• CCD Letter to the Honorable Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, United States Senate regarding the Affordable Health Choices Act (July 17, 2009)
• Principles for Health Care Reform from a Disability Perspective (May 14, 2009)
• CCD Health and Long Term Services and Supports Task Forces' Response to Finance Committee Coverage Proposals (May 29, 2009)
• CCD Health Task Force Response to Senate Finance Committee Delivery Systems Proposal (May 19, 2009)
• Healthcare Reform Recommendation No. 1: Benefit Package (May 14, 2009)
• Healthcare Reform Recommendation No. 2: Insurance Exchange (May 14, 2009)
• Health Reform Recommendation No. 3: CCD Supports Comparative Effectiveness Research with Proper Protections to Ensure Continued Access to Devices and Services for People with Disabilities and Chronic Conditions(May 14, 2009)
• Health Care Reform Recommendation No. 4: Extending Medigap to Medicare Beneficiaries with Disabilities of all Ages (May 14, 2009)
• Health Task Force Annual Report [PDF][WORD] (January 08, 2009)
• Competitive Bidding of Durable Medical Equipment under the Medicare Fee-For-Service Program (May 7, 2008)
• CCD letter: re Impact of DME Competitive Bidding on Medicare Beneficiaries with Disabilities and Chronic Conditions (May 7, 2008)
• CCD letter re House Budget Resolution - Medicaid Regulations Moatoria Reserve Fund (March 11, 2008)
• CCD Comments to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Interim Final Rule on Case Management (March 11, 2008)
• Health Task Force 2007 Annual Report (January 11, 2008)
• CCD Comments on Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed rule on Medicaid coverage of rehabilitative services. (October 12, 2007)
• Letter of support from the co-chairs of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Health and Long Term Services and Supports Task Forces for four specific disability-related provisions in the House version of the SCHIP reauthorization bill. (September 7, 2007)
• In “Too Sick to Work, Too Soon for Medicare: The Human Cost of the Two-Year Medicare Waiting Period for Americans with Disabilities,” 21 people with disabilities share their experiences while waiting for Medicare after leaving work due to a variety of reasons including cancer, chronic cardiac conditions, a car accident and debilitating injuries.These real-life stories illustrate how people with disabilities waiting for Medicare struggle to pay for health care. Some pay premiums for COBRA coverage but soon find the premiums unaffordable on disability income. Others qualify for Medicaid coverage initially but lose eligibility when their disability income begins (five months after being deemed disabled by the Social Security Administration). Other people interviewed spend their savings to pay for private health insurance but quickly discover that the premiums are unaffordable or private insurers will not cover someone with a pre-existing condition.During the year-long interviewing process some of the “Too Sick to Work, Too Soon for Medicare” project participants finally get Medicare and express tremendous relief that they will at last have coverage and be able to see health care providers of their choice. Others never live to get their Medicare coverage. (March 21, 2007)
• Letter re Medicaid Rehabilitative Services Option (March 2007)
• Health Task Force 2006 Report
• Health Task Force First and Second Quarters 2006
• Citizenship Documentation Interim Final Rule (July 2006)
• Monitoring the Effects of the Medicaid Citizenship Documentation Requirement (July 2006)
• Next Steps on Citizenship Issue for National Groups (July 2006)
• Key Issues on Interim Final Regulations on Medicaid Citizenship Documentation (July 2006)
• CMS: Providing Documentation of Citizenship for Medicaid (July 2006)
• Federal Register: DHHS - Medicaid Program; Citizenship Documentation Requirements (July 2006)
• CMS Medicaid Fact Sheet: HHS Issues Final Regulations with Comment on Citizenship Guidlines for Medicaid Eligibility (July 2006)
• CMS Medicaid Fact Sheet: HHS Issues Citizenship Guidlines for Medicaid Eligibility (July 2006)
• CMS Letter to State Medicaid Directors regaurding DRA Guidance (July 2006)
• NHELP: Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 Reference Chart (July 2006)
• Center on Budget and Policy Proirities: HHS Guidance will Exacerbate Problems Caused by New Medicaid Documentation Requirement (July 2006)

Archives
Visit the Archive for past documents and information from the Task Force.

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