Although the debate of health care and health insurance reform has been pondered for many years, the one voice not being heard is that of our brothers & sisters with disabilities. However, the one exception to this silence – who himself is silent now – is the most honorable Senator Teddy Kennedy, who legislatively spoke for and on behalf of, Americans with disabilities.
Recently, we have been inundated with news about angry citizens who have been speaking forcefully as to how they dislike much of what is being proposed to reform health care. This is why it is imperative that the voice of Americans with disabilities be heard and more so now that we have lost our great champion in Senator Kennedy.
What is the one thing that Senator Kennedy wanted while going through his own ordeal with his disability – cancer? He wanted to have the “choice” to go back to his community, his home and be surrounded by his loving family. It is this “choice” that Americans with disabilities also want, we want to be able to have the ability to “choose” where to receive our care and we want to receive those services at home, in our own community. These were the ideals that Senator Kennedy voiced on behalf of our citizens with disabilities, by introducing and supporting legislation to reform our health care system that is structured to favor institutional health care rather than providing such care within their own community.
Paramount legislation toward achieving this goal has been cosponsored by Senator Kennedy, known as the Community Choice Act (HR 1670 / S 683) which would eliminate the current institutional bias that forces people into expensive facilities, rather than providing services at home.
Nursing facilities and other institutional settings are an expensive and outmoded means of providing needed assistance to seniors and people with disabilities. Not only do incredibly few people actually want to live in nursing facilities, but there has also been much research clearly demonstrating the cost benefits between providing long term services in an institution or providing such services within the community. Regardless of any other arguments about access to health care or cost containment, it is apparent that ending the institutional bias, which overwhelmingly and disproportionately impacts Americans with disabilities, will contribute toward cost containment within our health care system.
To insure access to quality medical services in the community, Senator Kennedy introduced, Promoting Wellness for People with Disabilities Act. This legislation mandates the U.S. Access Board to establish minimum accessibility standards for diagnostic equipment in medical and dental clinics. It also calls for disability cultural competency training for healthcare and dental professionals. This bill speaks to his continued commitment to meaningful health care reform on behalf of people with disabilities. Ending the institutional bias in our health care system is essential if our senior citizens and citizens with disabilities are to have a “choice” to live in their community. However, in order to thrive in such a community, people with disabilities must also have access to proper and quality medical service while living at home.
So, I call upon our Congressional leaders; let us not walk away from this opportunity to honor the ideals and beliefs of one of the greatest legislators of our times. Let us not – because of his absence – allow all that Senator Kennedy struggled for within health care, to also die! As Civil Rights became a testament for his brother and our President, John F. Kennedy, ending the institutional bias within our health care system should be Senator Teddy Kennedy’s testament to his passion and commitment toward ensuring that the voice of Americans with Disabilities is heard!
Clifton Perez, M.S.W. Systems Advocate
Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley Inc. (ILCHV)
Website: www.ilchv.org Email: cperez@ilchv.org Tel: (518) 274-0701
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
Be respectful.