February 2024 Updates from Our Executive Director
February 2
It's been a busy week for us, including some unfortunate news: major proposed cuts to the PCA program in the Governor's budget. We're deeply concerned about these cuts, and we’ll post more details about them and how to get involved.
We also have a second action alert requesting that the MBTA not exlcude many RIDE users from the new low-income fare option. We also have several exciting upcoming events and some fresh news stories for you to peruse.
Finally, while I suspect I'm largely preaching to the choir here, Covid rates are spiking yet again, and it's critical that all of us take action to stay safe. The hospitals that removed mask mandates earlier this year (over our community's express objections) are now having to bring them back, and we'd urge you to wear a mask indoors as well if you are able, preferable an N95. If you're not feeling well, stay home, and take a COVID test if you have access to them. It's on all of us to do everything we can to keep immunocompromised members of our community safe, and to protect all of us from the effects of Long Covid, especially when our public health system is not taking the problem nearly as seriously as it should. See our COVID-19 resources if you haven’t already.
February 16
It's been two weeks since we posted our call to action to call the Governor and tell her not to make the harmful cuts to the PCA program proposed in her budget. This is just the beginning of our campaign to stop these harmful changes to this essential program, and over the coming weeks we'll keep you updated on additional steps you can take. In the meantime, please keep calling!
We're also seeing movement on a variety of other legislative fronts. As any longtime readers of this newsletter know, since 2018 DPC has been a major player in the national fight by disability advocates against the use of the Quality-Adjusted Life Year, a metric used in healthcare cost effectiveness analysis which presumes that the more disabled someone is judged to be, the less it is worth spending to keep them alive. Last year saw the release of proposed federal regulations that would prohibit the QALY in Medicaid and Medicare under Section 504, and now a bill which would prohibit them has passed the U.S. House. Closer to home, after we shared the Blue Cross Blue Shield foundation's excellent report on estate recovery last week, this week the globe ran an excellent article on the subject, which we've devoted our entire news section to this week.
We've also got some exciting news to share on the employment front, as DPC has officially posted a listing for a part-time Deaf organizer position! One of the things I'm proudest of over the last five years has been our deepening relationship with the Deaf community, from fighting to keep MCDHH Deaf-led, to pushing for greater communications access at the State House. The next logical step in that progression was for us to create a role on our advocacy team specifically focused on Deaf issues, and I'm excited that day is finally here. See below for more information on the role and how to apply.
Be well, take care, and stay safe!
Colin Killick
Executive Director
Disability Policy Consortium
In the News
Check out these recent articles:
Incarcerated Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing People Win Access To Life-Saving Fire Alarms And Other Emergency Notifications, Press Release from Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts, January 23, 2024. For more information, contact Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts Communications Director Aaron Steinberg at asteinberg@plsma.org.
New sickle cell therapies come with side effects and a big price tag by Elaine Tassy, NPR.org, January 30, 2024.
Lawmakers discuss support for employees with disabilities by Erin Kelly, Spectrum News 1, January 31, 2024.
Mass. burdens poor by overly aggressive policy to recoup Medicaid costs after death, report says by Jason Laughlin, Boston Globe, February 13, 2024.
