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

• Lisa Ekman
  Health & Disability Advocates
  240-463-5612 phone
  202-506-6481 fax
  lekman@hdadvocates.org

• Theresa Morgan
  American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  202-349-4243 phone
  theresa.morgan@ppsv.com

• Julie Ward
  The Arc (DPC)
  202-783-2229 phone
  202-783-8250 fax
  ward@thearc.org

• Peter Thomas
  American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R)
  202-466-6550 phone
  202-785-1756 fax
  peter.thomas@ppsv.com
  
  

Activities

• Letter to Issuers on Federally-facilitated and State Partnership Exchanges (April 3, 2013)
• CCD health and long term services and supports task forces provides comments on proposed Medicaid rules (February 22, 2013)
• CCD Letter to President Obama re: Medicaid (February 14, 2013)
• CCD submits comments on the essential health benefits proposed regulation implementing provisions of the ACA (January 17, 2013)
• CCD comments on proposed rules implementing critical health insurance reforms established by the ACA (January 17, 2013)
• Health Task Force Annual Report [PDF][WORD] (January 3, 2013)
• CCD Medicaid Managed Care principles (August 14, 2012)
• Essential Health Benefits and Actuarial Value Working Group Comments on Data Collection (July 16, 2012)
• CCD Responds to General Guidance on Federally-facilitated Exchanges (July 16, 2012)
• Press Release Healthcare Ruling a Victory For All Americans (June 29, 2012)
• Final Medicaid Interim comments (May 14, 2012)
• Final Exchange with sign on (May 14, 2012)
• Health Task Force Annual Report [PDF][WORD] (January 18, 2012)
• CCD urges Joint Committee to protect Medicaid and health programs (November 3, 2011)
• The Health Task Force submitted comments to HHS on the risk adjustment and reinsurance regulations (November 3, 2011)
• CCD raised concerns with the HHS NPRM on Medicaid eligibility changes under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (November 3, 2011)
• The Health Task Force provides comments on establishing the health insurance exchanges under the ACA (November 3, 2011)
• CCD Health Task Force provides comments to CMS on California State Plan Amendment (August 25, 2011)
• CCD Health Task Force comments on Medicare and Medicaid alignment initiative (July 27, 2011)
• CCD comments on CMS proposed rate review rule (July 26, 2011)
• CCD members oppose Medicaid cuts and spending caps (June 15, 2011)
• CCD Members Ask Congress to Protect Medicaid Eligibility (June 2, 2011)
• Request for Comments Regarding Exchange-Related Provisions in Title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (April 27, 2011)
• CCD Health Task Force: CCD Opposes Medicaid Caps or Block Grant (April 13, 2011)
• CCD Health Task Force Co-Chairs respond to AHRQ request for comment on core health quality measures for Medicaid eligible adults (March 4, 2011)
• Health Task Force Annual Report [PDF][WORD] (January 13, 2011)
• CCD written testimony to the IOM regarding their consensus study on developing criteria for the essential health benefits, as established by ACA (January 12, 2011)
• CCD Health Task Force comments on the interim final rules that implement provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L.111-148) regarding coverage of preventive services (November 18, 2010)
• CCD Health and Long Term Services Task Forces comment on the proposed rule on the review and approval process for Section 1115 demonstration projects (November 18, 2010)
• CCD comments regarding the Interim Final Rule and Proposed Rule relating to Status as a Grandfathered Health Plan under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (August 16, 2010)
• CCD comments on Interim Final Rules relating to Dependent Coverage of Children to Age 26 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (August 6)
• Disability Community Supports Critical Provisions of Senate bill [ PDF][WORD] (January 12, 2010)
• 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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