National Council on Disability Applauds New Health Reform Provisions Taking Effect September 23

Sept. 23, 2010

WASHINGTON—The National Council on Disability (NCD) today announced the agency’s support for six major provisions to the Affordable Care Act that go into effect on September 23. The new provisions include extending coverage for young adults, improving access to preventive care, restricting insurance companies from unfairly rescinding coverage, creating a more fair insurance denial appeals process, eliminating lifetime limits on insurance coverage, and regulating annual limits on insurance coverage.

According to NCD Vice Chair, Linda Wetters, “These reforms will be of significant benefit to people with disabilities and people with chronic health conditions, who have historically experienced some of the most significant disparities in health status, and inequities in access to health care, and health promotion services, as documented in NCD’s September 2009 report, “The Current State of Health Care for People with Disabilities.”

“We look forward to the implementation of many more provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, such as the protections against pre-existing condition exclusions, insurance coverage of essential services that will enable people with chronic health conditions to work and live independently, federal standards for accessible medical diagnostic equipment, and movement toward a system of less expensive home and community-based long-term care services instead of unnecessarily placing people into costly institutions,” Wetters said.

According to NCD’s Vice Chair for Engagement, Ari Ne’eman, “As a result of access barriers, people with disabilities bear a disproportionate burden of poor health compared with the general population, yet use preventive services at a lower rate than people who do not have disabilities. Health care reform has the potential to level the health care playing field for all people with disabilities.”