When is it ok to label people with disabilities? When you are labeling everyone else of course! That is what the new National Ad campaign that promotes hiring people with disabilities is all about.

The organization Health & Disability Advocates is spearheading a collaborative of 30 states, which will launch on February 1 a national ad campaign promoting the hiring of people with disabilities. The $4 million campaign will appear on television, in print, on the Web, and on billboards through 2010. The goal of the humorous, edgy campaign is to change attitudes about hiring people with disabilities, raising awareness of the need for diversity in the workplace, and countering stereotypes about people with disabilities.

Paul Wellstone, Pete Domenici Parity Act Prohibits Discrimination

HHS Press Release

January 29, 2010 - Washington, DC -The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury today jointly issued new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance use disorders.

"The rules we are issuing today will, for the first time, help assure that those diagnosed with these debilitating and sometimes life-threatening disorders will not suffer needless or arbitrary limits on their care," said Secretary Sebelius.  "I applaud the long-standing and bipartisan effort that made these important new protections possible."

"Today's rules will bring needed relief to families faced with meeting the cost of obtaining mental health and substance abuse services," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The benefits will give these Americans access to greatly needed medical treatment, which will better allow them to participate fully in society. That's not just sound policy, it's the right thing to do."

"Workers covered by group health plans who need mental health and substance abuse care deserve fair treatment," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin. "These rules expand on existing protections to ensure that people don't face unnecessary barriers to the treatment they need."

The new rules prohibit group health insurance plans-typically offered by employers-from restricting access to care by limiting benefits and requiring higher patient costs than those that apply to general medical or surgical benefits. The rules implement the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA).

MHPAEA greatly expands on an earlier law, the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 which required parity only in aggregate lifetime and annual dollar limits between the categories of benefits and did not extend to substance use disorder benefits. 

The new law requires that any group health plan that includes mental health and substance use disorder benefits along with standard medical and surgical coverage must treat them equally in terms of out-of-pocket costs, benefit limits and practices such as prior authorization and utilization review.  These practices must be based on the same level of scientific evidence used by the insurer for medical and surgical benefits.  For example, a plan may not apply separate deductibles for treatment related to mental health or substance use disorders and medical or surgical benefits-they must be calculated as one limit.  MHPAEA applies to employers with 50 or more workers whose group health plan chooses to offer mental health or substance use disorder benefits.  The new rules are effective for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010.

The Wellstone-Domenici Act is named for two dominant figures in the quest for equal treatment of benefits. The late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), who was a vocal advocate for parity throughout his Senate career, sponsored the ultimately successful full parity act.  He was joined by former Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) who first introduced legislation to require parity in 1992.  Champions of the legislation also included the bipartisan team of Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and former Representative Jim Ramstad (R-MN).

The issue of parity dates back over 40 years to President John F.Kennedy, and was also supported by President Clinton and the late Senator Edward Kennedy.

The interim final rules released today were developed based on the departments' review of more than 400 public comments on how the parity rule should be written.  Comments on the interim final rules are still being solicited.  Sections where further comments are being specifically sought include so-called "non quantitative" treatment limits such as those that pertain to the scope and duration of covered benefits, how covered drugs are determined (formularies), and the coverage of step-therapies.  Comments are also being specifically requested on the regulation's section on "scope of benefits" or continuum of care.

Comments on the interim final regulation are due 90 days after the publication date.  Comments may be emailed to the federal rulemaking portal at: http://www.regulations.gov.  Comments directed to HHS should include the file code CMS-4140-IFC.  Comments to the Department of Labor should be identified by RIN 1210-AB30.  Comments to the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service should be identified by REG-120692-09.  Comments may be sent to any of the three departments and will be shared with the other departments.  Please do not submit duplicates. 

See the parity regulations.

Contact:
HHS: 202-690-6145
DOL: 202-693-8666
Treasury: 202-622-2960

Is the Message of Smart and Funny TV, Print, Web, and Outdoor ads -- to

Launch Feb 1

January 29, 2010, -- Chicago, IL:  The organization Health & Disability Advocates is spearheading a collaborative of 30 states, which will launch on February 1 a national ad campaign promoting the hiring of people with disabilities. The $4 million campaign will appear on television, in print, on the Web, and on billboards through 2010.  The goal of the humorous, edgy campaign is to change attitudes about hiring people with disabilities, raising awareness of the need for diversity in the workplace, and countering stereotypes about people with disabilities.

Created by the Chicago-based ad agency Wirestone, “Think Beyond the Label” emphasizes that all workplaces accommodate difference—from the “copy-incapable” office worker to the “pattern-deficient” dresser to the man with “volume control syndrome” (i.e., the loud-mouthed employee).  The campaign acknowledges that workforce diversity is an asset to small, medium, and large companies.  Interested employers are encouraged to visit the campaign hub, thinkbeyondthelabel.com, for information on hiring people with disabilities in their areas.

The campaign’s television ads feature Alana Wallace, a charismatic actress, dancer, and disability activist who uses a wheelchair as a result of childhood polio.  Ms. Wallace, who founded her own dance company to encourage collaborations between artists with and without disabilities, is available for interviews.

“Think Beyond the Label” emphasizes the quirks and imperfections of our coworkers and makes the case that no worker is without flaws.  The campaign demonstrates that these shortcomings don’t impact job performance or slow the company down,” says Barbara Otto, executive director of Health & Disability Advocates.

Otto notes that the timing of the campaign could not be better, because people with disabilities have been disproportionately affected by the recession, and their unemployment numbers are rising faster than those of the general public.

“People with disabilities are the untapped workforce of the 21^st century,” Ms. Otto says. “Companies that are looking for individuals who think outside of the box get a competitive edge when they overcome their biases and hire individuals who are living outside of the box.”

About Health & Disability Advocates:

Health & Disability Advocates (HDA) is a state and national policy and advocacy organization that promotes income security, enhances work opportunities, and improves health care access and services for low income children, people with

disabilities and older adults.

About Wirestone, LLC:

Wirestone is a digital marketing solutions agency that specializes in helping world-class brands connect and activate their customers through the creation of insight-driven, targeted customer experiences. Wirestone is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in seven U.S. cities with 175 passionate people. Wirestone’s client partners include HP, Microsoft, Nike, Oakley, Motorola, SKYY Spirits, A.C. Moore, Pabst Brewing and Simplot. Visit Wirestone.com or follow at twitter.com/Wirestone for more information.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced changes to certain benefits and programs that take effect in 2010. These changes include a delay until June 30, 2010 in out-of-pocket payments for pharmaceuticals. This means the department will delay a scheduled $1.00 increase to $9.00, in the co-payments for each 30-day supply of medicine for the treatment of conditions not related to military service. During this period, VA will also keep $960 as the maximum, annual out-of-pocket payments for pharmaceuticals for non-service-related conditions.

This information has recently been updated, and can be read by visiting this link:  http://www.disability.gov/benefits/other_benefits_programs/veterans_&_military.

Statement on the State of the Union Address

For Immediate Release: January 27, 2010
Contact: Earl Smith, 773.405.8377 or Rene David Luna, 773.304.7889

Chicago – the DAWWN leadership committee issues the following statement after President Obama's first State of the Union address:

President Obama made several useful proposals on retirement savings, student loans and other areas that will benefit working families.  However, this agenda does not go far enough to address the severity of the problems facing the economy and the critical need to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The unemployment rate is currently in double-digits for all workers, disabled people among them.  The fact is that the crisis for disabled people who can and want to work is many times worse than this. The unemployment crisis confronting all of us is a result of bad economic policy and Wall Street greed.

As some progressive economists have indicated, there are mechanisms through which we can expand the economy and bring the unemployment rate down for those seeking work:  a much larger stimulus, more expansionary monetary policy from the Fed, a lower dollar to bring down the trade deficit, and yes, even a single-payer health care system.

We should be working towards the development of policies and programs to increase employment options and training for working class people with disabilities:  These could include: increasing public awareness of reasonable accommodation provisions under the ADA, enforcement of nondiscrimination laws, the development of work-sharing programs, the expansion of paid internships, and increased funding for quality state vocational rehabilitation services and job placement, to name a few.

If it is not possible to get the policies needed to restore full employment back on the political agenda, then tens of millions of people will suffer needlessly for years to come.  This is the right time for the President to seize the opportunity to ensure that no person, with or without a disability, is left behind.

Disabled Americans Want Work Now is a grassroots group of people with disabilities, who advocate for the Human Right to Work. DAWWN provides a VOICE for all people with disabilities interested in improving access to good paying jobs, job training and broader social justice. We seek to end the massive economic deprivation, poverty and unemployment that people with disabilities face in life.