National Council on Disability releases study on health care for people with disabilities

From DREDF:

On September 30, 2009, the National Council on Disability (NCD) released a report entitled "The Current State of Health Care for People with Disabilities," calling for immediate health care reform for people with disabilities. DREDF led the team that researched and wrote this landmark report.

According to NCD Chairperson John R. Vaughn, "NCD undertook this study in 2007 to focus the nation's attention on the health care disparities experienced by people with disabilities, and to provide information and recommendations that can help to eliminate health care inequities for people with disabilities."

The report provides a road map for eliminating the pervasive barriers to health care for people with disabilities, highlights the health care disparities experienced by people with disabilities, and makes recommendations to eliminate health care inequities, including:

Amend the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act to broaden the definition of "health disparity population."

Establish a technical assistance system through which states, health plans, clinics, hospitals, diagnostic and treatment centers, individual medical practitioners, equipment manufacturers, people with disabilities, and others can easily obtain centralized information on universal standards of care and related practical resources for ensuring full access to culturally competent health care services for people with disabilities.

Step up monitoring and enforcement of the ADA and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act for health care facilities and programs.

Ensure that reform of the health care system in the US responds to the basic needs of people with disabilities by making certain that health care coverage is available and affordable to all people with disabilities without pre-existing condition limitations.