March 2011

Employment

The United States House of Representatives Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing, entitled, “Improving Employment Opportunities for People with Intellectual Disabilities.”  The hearing focused on the barriers to employment faced by individuals with intellectual disabilities and offered criteria for and examples of integrated, competitive employment.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released its final rule implementing Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAA) on March 25. The new rules provide guidance to individuals and employers about the expanded definition of disability that was included in the legislation. The ADAA's focus is on prohibiting discrimination and not deciding if the person has a disability. To read the new rules and the explanatory information, go to:

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adaaa_info.cfm.

Affordable Care Act

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury Department released rules outlining how states could apply for Section 1332 waivers. These waivers would allow states to opt out of key health reform provisions like the health insurance exchanges and the individual mandate if they meet certain benchmarks for affordability and coverage.

Appeal on Florida ACA Ruling

On March 10, President Obama’s Administration filed its intent to appeal the ruling of a Federal District Court in Florida that held the ACA to be unconstitutional.  In a separate action days before, the ruling judge said implementation may proceed in the 26 states affected during the appeal process.  The United States Supreme Court will ultimately determine the fate of ACA.

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Two-thirds of states have cut mental health care over the last three years, despite growing needs among returning veterans and families.  Of seventeen states increasing budgets, the average was by less than 4%. For more information, please see:

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=state_budget_cuts_report

Budget - House Budget Resolution Expected Soon

The House Budget Committee will begin preparing a Budget Resolution for Federal Fiscal Year 2012, which serves as a blueprint for federal spending. Advocates in Washington D.C. expect the proposal to include deep cuts to domestic spending and entitlement spending such as Medicaid and Medicare; the proposal may also include caps on overall spending or Medicaid block grant proposals that would seriously harm access to health care and long term services and supports for people with disabilities.

Housing - HUD Releases Report Supplement

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released "2009 Worst Case Housing Needs of People with Disabilities," a supplement to its "Worst Case Housing Needs 2009: Report to Congress" that details critical housing needs for families that include one or more people with disabilities. "Worst case households" are very low-income renters who do not receive government housing assistance and who either pay more than one-half of their income for rent or live in severely inadequate conditions, or both. In 2009, there were about one million households who met the definition of "worst case." Read the report at:

http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/WorstCaseDisabilities03_2011.pdf.

Health Insurance

Health care premiums are expected to jump an average of 8% in 2012.  Coverage for each worker will average $11,176 this year, up from $10,387 in 2010.  The boost, on the heels of similar hikes in recent years, hits employees and firms.  Workers pay 45% more for coverage than five years ago.  The cost to employers is up 36% over the same period. 

National Perspective is a publication of the Ohio Association of County Boards of DD, designed to update Association members on national and federal issues of interest.