DREDF Condemns the Unabashedly Ableist Response of Mainstream Journalists and Politicians to NBC’s Recent Interview With John Fetterman

October 14, 2022
DREDF is outraged by the ableist criticisms directed at Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman in the wake of his recent NBC interview. During the interview, which aired on Tuesday's "NBC Nightly News" and Wednesday's "Today" show, Fetterman used closed captions to answer questions in real time. Rather than focus on Fetterman's ideas and ideologies on topics like access to health coverage and prescription drug pricing, coverage of the interview has almost exclusively zeroed in on Fetterman's use of closed captioning, claiming that his use of such technology indicates "brain damage" and an unfitness for office. This offensive coverage has infuriated disability rights advocates. [...]

DREDF Comments on the 2022 Section 1557 Proposed Rule on Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities

October 3, 2022
DREDF strongly supports the proposed rule. It clarifies and strengthens nondiscrimination protections for people with disabilities and other populations that have experienced systemic barriers to receiving equally effective health care. Below we provide a more detailed section-by-section analysis of how particular provisions in the proposed rule will benefit the health and well-being of our communities. [...]

Proposed Rule on Nondiscrimination in Health Care Needs Public Comment

September 22, 2022
The Biden Administration proposes a stronger nondiscrimination rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. DREDF has written template comments that can be used by disability organizations and groups who want to support the proposed rule. People who want to share their specific experience can also directly submit a comment through an individual comment portal. You can also look at other template comments written from specific view points such as people of color, limited English speakers, and LGBTQ+ persons. [...]

DREDF Comments on CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Plans

August 31, 2022
DREDF submitted comments in response to CMS request for information on various aspects of care delivery provided by Medicare Advantage plans. We called for special attention to be given to the potential impact of disability bias in algorithms and AI being used in healthcare and services decision-making and recommended steps CMS should take to ensure that these biases are identified and corrected. The goal is to increase equity and fairness and avoid discrimination and inappropriate care decisions for disabled Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Although research is limited, some scholars have observed that when algorithmic and AI development and testing does not consider the potential for disability bias, certain inequitable outcomes could occur. Moreover, other specific disability status information is not measured or recorded directly within electronic health records (EHRs), yet it is likely that disabled people have a pattern of healthcare services use that might display unique variation based on disability type and might be affected by intersectional and demographic factors including race, ethnicity, gender identity, and age. Thus, any risk assessment algorithm should be designed with explicit attention to disability, not as an outlier or source of skew, but as a common demographic characteristic—an aspect of the human condition. [...]

Using Reasonable Accommodations and Reasonable Modifications to Address Lease Violations Resulting from Disability Related Behaviors

August 29, 2022
Disability-related behaviors can sometimes result in lease violations. If faced with an adverse housing action based on disability-related behaviors (e.g., notice to cure, notice of eviction), tenants and their advocates should assess whether there is a reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification available that can cure the lease violation. Tenants with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications under fair housing law even after a lease violation has occurred. Reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications can be powerful tools to prevent or challenge the eviction of disabled tenants. [...]