UNITED SPINAL ASSOCIATION for UNITED SPINAL ASSOCIATION

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

United Spinal supports S. 651/H.R 1814, the ABLE Age Adjustment Act.

Contacted: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); SENATE; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Social Security Administration (SSA); Labor, Dept of (DOL)

Bills named: S. 651 (116th), H.R. 1814 (116th)

Communications/Broadcasting/Radio/TV COM

United Spinal Association, along with numerous other national disability organizations, submitted comments to the FCC in response to GMs Petition for Partial Waiver of Real-Time Text Minimum Functionality Requirements; raising concerns about ensuring communications access for the disability community.

Contacted: Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Social Security Administration (SSA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); SENATE

Budget/Appropriations BUD

United Spinal policy staff has submitted multiple requests to various Members of Congress, including those on the Appropriations committees to ensure continued robust funding for critical SCI and disability programs, such as the Spinal Cord Injury Program and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for Multiple Sclerosis, both at the Department of Defense. Also, United Spinal policy staff supported the following issues: Assistive Technology Funding United Spinal, along with the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Autism, Developmental Disabilities and Family Supports Task Force sent a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to urge adequate Fiscal Year 2020 funding for programs authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act) and State Assistive Technology Programs.

Contacted: Social Security Administration (SSA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

United Spinal supports the Disability Integration Act (DIA) - S.117/H.R. 555 specifies in Federal Statute that people with disabilities have a federally protected right to a real choice in how and where they receive services and supports.

Contacted: Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); SENATE; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Social Security Administration (SSA); Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Bills named: S. 117 (116th), H.R. 555 (116th)

Transportation TRA

Outreach to new 116th Members of Congress and appropriate committees of jurisdiction regarding the support of expanding access to accessible autonomous vehicles.

Contacted: SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Social Security Administration (SSA); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Disaster Planning/Emergencies DIS

United Spinal discussed the reintroduction of the READI for Disaster Act in the 116th Congress with the House and Senate. This bill creates a network of centers focused on research, training and technical assistance; establishes a commission on disability rights and disasters to study access and functional needs; and examines how the civil rights of people with disabilities and older adults are impacted.

Contacted: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Social Security Administration (SSA); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Transportation, Dept of (DOT)

Health Issues HCR

United Spinal Association is an official non-federal partner of NIH for their February SCI 2020 Conference. United Spinal Policy staff are working: with NIH representatives to include discussions of rehab therapy and rehab denials/rehab outcomes for the SCI population in the Conference. to disseminate throughout our network a North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium SCI survey they developed and plan on presenting the results at the conference. with the lead institute for the Conference, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to promote attendance for the Conference from the clinician community. United Spinal, as a member of the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), and along with other members, supported the DRRCs comments on the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Developments (NICHD) Request for Information: NICHD Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2020-2024. The comments emphasized the importance of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) and its mission to foster development of scientific knowledge needed to enhance the health, productivity, independence, and quality of life of people of all ages with physical disabilities. An important component of this includes the integration of nutritional guidance and exercise into rehabilitation efforts, as well as maximizing the outcomes of those twin pillars of health throughout a childs development. Outreach to new 116th Members of Congress and appropriate committees of jurisdiction on maximizing rehabilitation outcomes for people with spinal cord injuries and disorders. As a member of the Societys Activism Advisory Committee and as a member of the Multiple Sclerosis Coalition, United Spinal policy staff attended the Societys PPC conference in March. The PPC advocated Congress for lower drug pricing; penalties to pharmaceutical companies who pay to delay the introduction of generics to the market; and the funding for the National Institutes of Health, and the Congressionally-Directed Medical Research Program for Multiple Sclerosis at the Department of Defense.

Contacted: Social Security Administration (SSA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Veterans VET

S. 679, Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act of 2019 or HAVEN act The objective of the HAVEN Act is to secure the economic well-being of veterans and dependents who rely on disability compensation and may be experiencing financial hardship. S. 30: Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act As part of the National Military and Veterans Alliance, VetsFirst signed a letter of support for S.30. This legislation seeks to provide chiropractic health care services for non-activated reservists and retirees as a part of the TRICARE program. S. 30 has been introduced by Senators Baldwin and Moran and has been referred to Senate Armed Services Committee.

Contacted: Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Social Security Administration (SSA); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: S. 679 (116th), S. 30 (116th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

United Spinal and NCART met with the office of Representative Sensenbrenner (R-WI) to discuss reintroduction, in the new 116th Congress, of legislation to improve access to customized wheelchairs. United Spinal, as part of the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation, submitted comments to CMS, on the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs through the Medicare Advantage and Part D Draft CY 2020 Call impacting benefits related to people with disabilities. United Spinal, as part of the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation requested a meeting with Secretary Azar to discuss the value of inpatient hospital rehabilitation and coverage of seat elevation and standing feature power wheelchairs for Medicare beneficiaries. United Spinal signed onto letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spearheaded by the above-named groups urging the agency to not restrict access to the six protected classes of drugs. We submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and opposed sections of the CMS' Proposed Rule: Modernizing Part D and Medicare Advantage to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce, which would establish broad exceptions to Part Ds protected classes policy. As a Steering Committee member of the ITEM Coalition, United Spinal and others discussed with CMS Principal Deputy Administrator Demetrios Kouzoukas the need for Medicare coverage of standing wheelchairs and seat elevation as a follow-up to an in-person meeting, United Spinal and others had in October with CMS Chief Medical Officer, Kate Goodrich. ITEM Coalition continues to advocate for improved access for people with physical disabilities and chronic illnesses, to all assistive technologies and devices. United Spinal's Access and Care Coalition made a series of Hill visits over the course of two days to inform Members of Congress on the House Energy and Commerce and the House Ways and Means Committees of the negative impacts of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services competitive bidding program on urology and ostomy supplies. S. 584/H.R. 1342 EMPOWER Care Act CCD Support Letter United Spinal Association signed onto a Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities letter led by the Long-Term Services & Supports (LTSS) Task Force addressed to both House and Senate leadership urging support for S. 584/H.R. 1342 a bill which reauthorizes the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Medicaid demonstration program for five more years. Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019/H.R.1839 One of the important provisions of this bill, which United Spinal supports, is that the bill extends the applicability of Medicaid eligibility criteria that protect against spousal impoverishment (spousal income is excluded for Medicaid eligibility criteria) for recipients of home- and community-based services.

Contacted: Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Social Security Administration (SSA); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Bills named: H.R. 1342 (116th), H.R. 1839 (116th), S. 584 (116th)

Insurance INS

On January 14, 2019 the Co-Chairs of the Social Security Task Force of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), of which United Spinal Association (along with numerous other disability organizations), is a member, commented on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Setting the Manner for the Appearance of Parties and Witnesses at a Hearing, 83 Fed. Reg. 57368 (November 15, 2018), Docket No. SSA- 2017-0015, raising concerns about removing in-person hearings as an option. Consideration of Pain in the Disability Determination Process United Spinal, along with numerous other disability organizations that are members of the Social Security Task Force of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), signed onto comments about the Social Security Administrations Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Consideration of Pain in the Disability Determination Process, 83 Fed. Reg. 64493 (December 17, 2018), Docket No. SSA-2018-0017, ensuring that chronic pain and disability be appropriately recognized in medical documentation as part of the determination process. United Spinal supports Social Security Task Force of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Co-Chairs comments on Review and Reassessment of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Representative Payee Selection and Replacement Policies

Contacted: Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Social Security Administration (SSA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Transportation, Dept of (DOT)

Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI

United Spinal and other advocacy groups, including Paralyzed Veterans of America, National Council on Independent Living and others met with DOT personnel to discuss the implementation of air travel provisions for passengers with disabilities as passed in the 115th Congress in 2018 related to the Air Carriers Access Amendments Act, such as regulating that passengers with disabilities receive dignified, timely and effective assistance at airports; establishing the Advisory Committee on the Air Travel Needs of Passengers with Disabilities; increasing civil penalties for bodily harm to a passenger with a disability and damage to wheelchairs or other mobility aid as well as discussing the Air Travel Accessibility Advisory Committee nominations. Support S.669/H.R. 1549 - Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2019

Contacted: Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Social Security Administration (SSA); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 1549 (116th), S. 669 (116th)

Education EDU

The Higher Education Act/House VetsFirst, a program of United Spinal Association, signed onto a Veterans Education Success /Student Veterans of America support letter, along with 36 other organizations representing the interests of more than 2 million military-connected current students in higher education, we wrote to ensure that reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) increases college access and improves college completion for our nations service members, veterans, and their family members.

Contacted: Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Social Security Administration (SSA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); SENATE

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

As part of the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities, VetsFirst supported a House appropriations request in the amount of $300,000 to help address the employment challenges of veterans with service connected and non-service connected disabilities, for the new Disabled Veteran Program (DVP) at the U.S. Department of Labors (DOL) Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS). United Spinal policy staff provided input for a DOL - ODEP publication on autonomous vehicles for the disability community. United Spinal supports the Disability Employment Incentive Act, S. 2555.

Contacted: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Social Security Administration (SSA); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH)

Bills named: S. 2555 (116th)