Disability.gov Health News & Events Update: The Current State of Health Care for People with Disabilities

The National Council on Disability (NCD) today released a report calling for immediate health care reform for people with disabilities. The report provides a road map for eliminating the pervasive barriers to health care for people with disabilities, which will improve the quality of life, productivity, and well-being of greater numbers of Americans as the population ages.

For more health news, visit http://www.disability.gov/health/news_%26_events.

Disability.gov Special Education for Educators Update: New Professional Development & Other Resources for Educators

Disability.gov has recently been updated with several new resources for educators, including professional development opportunities and instructional strategies using Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

For more information visit http://www.disability.gov/education/educator_resources/instructional_strategies.

Disability.gov Caregiver Resources Update: 2009 H1N1 Flu & You

This new brochure from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) describes flu symptoms, emergency warning signs and provides information for people with chronic health conditions or disabilities including cancer, blood disorders (including sickle cell disease), chronic lung disease, neuromuscular disorders (including muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis) and weakened immune systems (including people with HIV/AIDS). Brochure opens in a PDF document.

For more resources for caregivers, visit http://www.disability.gov/health/caregiver_&_provider_resources/caregivers.

Disability.gov Employment News & Events Update: Campaign for Disability Employment Video Winners Announced

To celebrate the launch of the What Can YOU Do? outreach effort, the Campaign for Disability Employment asked aspiring filmmakers to produce their own 60-second video in support of this effort. Watch these award-winning videos that illustrate positive images of people with disabilities at work, and help viewers re-think their assumptions about people with disabilities and employment.

For more employment news, visit http://www.disability.gov/employment/news_%26_events.

Disability.gov Veterans' Benefits Update: VA Warns Veterans of Telephone Prescription Scam

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is warning Veterans not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers claiming to update VA prescription information. Veteran Service Organizations have brought to VA's attention that callers are misrepresenting the VA to gain personal information over the phone. They say VA recently changed procedures for dispensing prescriptions and ask for the Veteran's credit card number. Veterans with questions about VA services should contact the nearest VA medical center or call, toll-free, 1-877-222-8387.

For more information visit http://www.disability.gov/benefits/other_benefits_programs/veterans_&_military.

ARCHIVED: Disability.gov Civil Rights News & Events Update: EEOC Approves Proposed ADA Regulations for Public Comment

This post may contain outdated information.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) revising its regulations to provide that an individual seeking protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) establish that he or she has a disability consistent with the original, expansive intent of Congress when it enacted the ADA in 1990. The NPRM makes several significant changes to the definition of the term disability necessitated by enactment of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The NPRM, approved by 2-1 vote, carries a 60-day period for public comment. Read the Q&A Guide about the proposal and instructions for submitting public comments.

For more information visit http://www.disability.gov/civil_rights/news_%26_events.

Disability.gov Medicare Update: Medicare Open Enrollment Begins November 15th

Each year plans change what they cost and what they cover under Medicare. The next general open enrollment starts on November 15, 2009 and ends on December 31, 2009. During this time, people with Medicare can add, drop or change their prescription drug coverage. They can also select a health plan for their 2010 coverage. Visit My Medicare Tools for more information and resources.

For more information on Medicare, visit http://www.disability.gov/health/health_insurance/medicare.

Disability.gov Assistive Technology Update: TechMatrix--Assistive Technology Tools for Learning

TechMatrix is an online tool for finding educational and assistive technology products for students with physical, intellectual and other disabilities. TechMatrix's search tool generates results based on subject area and learning supports, including adaptive devices, text-to-speech software, touch screens, electronic references and resources, multiple formats of text, alternate access to computers and peripheral devices (input and output) and more.

For more information visit  http://www.disability.gov/education/assistive_technology.

Disability.gov Caregiver Resources Update: Caring for a Person with Alzheimer's Disease

This guide is for people who care for family members or others with Alzheimer's disease (AD) at home. Includes information about how AD changes a person; coping with these changes; helping family and friends understand AD; making your home safe for the person with AD; and managing everyday activities like eating, bathing, dressing and grooming. Guide opens a PDF document.

For more information visit http://www.disability.gov/health/caregiver_&_provider_resources/caregivers.

Disability.gov Update: Medical Center to Ensure Effective Communication for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Patients

Under a settlement agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), deaf patients at the Fort Washington Medical Center in Prince George's County, MD will be screened and provided with sign language interpreters whenever interpreter services are necessary for effective communication. The settlement was negotiated following an investigation by the Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in response to a complaint from a deaf patient.

For more information visit http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/09/20090914b.html. More resources in Maryland can be found by visiting http://www.disability.gov/state/maryland/civil_rights.