The Current State of Health Care for People with Disabilities
Author: Breslin, Mary Lou
Date: 2009-09-30
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Quality of Life,Disabilities,Health Services,Accessibility (for Disabled),Social Justice,Barriers,Federal Legislation,Federal Programs,Conferences (Gatherings),Best Practices,Scientific and Technical Information,Change Strategies,Research Reports,Policy Analysis,Related Services (Special Education),Audits (Verification)

The National Council on Disabilities (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. Among the key findings were that: (1) People with disabilities experience significant health disparities and barriers to health care, as compared with people who do not have disabilities; (2) People with disabilities frequently lack either health insurance or coverage for necessary services, such as specialty care, long-term services, prescription  medications, durable medical equipment, and assistive technologies; (3) Most federally funded health disparities research does not recognize and include people with disabilities as a disparity population; (4) The absence of professional training on disability competency issues for health care practitioners is one of the most significant barriers preventing people with disabilities from receiving appropriate and effective health care; and (5) The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has had limited impact on how health care is delivered for people with disabilities. Significant architectural and programmatic accessibility barriers still remain, and health care providers continue to lack awareness about steps they are required to take to ensure that patients with disabilities have access to appropriate, culturally competent care. The report offers a broad range of recommendations for reforms that will address some  of the most significant obstacles to health, health care, disease prevention, and health  promotion for people with disabilities. It provides a road map for eliminating the pervasive barriers to health care for people with disabilities, which will improve the quality of life, productivity, and well-being of greater numbers of Americans as the population ages. The report is also in keeping with the Administration's goals for inclusive health care reform. Appended are: (1) Key Informant Interviewees and Informational Interviewees; (2) NCD Health Care Summit Participant List, April 2008; (3) List of Methods Related to Data Collection Assessment and Matrix of Selected Studies and Datasets; (4) Key Federal Agency Definitions of Health Disparity; (5) NCD Health Care Summit Additional Recommendations for Reform and Stakeholder Actions; (6) Additional NCD Health Care Summit Information: Summit Agenda, Summary of Oral Content Presentations, and Summit Planning Committee List; and (7) Mission of the National Council on Disability. (Contains 11 exhibits and 600 endnotes.) [The following people also helped in drafting this report: Tyler Zoanni, Charlotte Lanvers, Catherine Engstrom, Acer Tolentino, Rachel Hamburg, Christopher Kypreos, Nancy Mudrick, Kristi Kirschner, Judy Panko Reis, Carmen Cicchetti, and Mary Margaret Sharp-Pucci.