Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Regulations Require Better Bathrooms On Jets For Those With Disabilities
The New York Times: U.S. Moves To Improve Airplane Bathrooms For People With Disabilities
The Transportation Department announced on Wednesday that it had finalized new regulations to require more commercial aircraft to have accessible bathrooms, a long-awaited step to address complaints from disabled travelers about the difficulties of flying. Under the regulations, new single-aisle planes with at least 125 seats will eventually be required to have at least one lavatory large enough for a disabled passenger and an attendant to enter and move around in. Twin-aisle planes are already required to have an accessible lavatory. (Walker, 7/26)
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CNBC: New Bill Aims To Help Low-Income People With Disabilities Save Money
The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 33 years ago to protect people with disabilities from discrimination. But disabled people still face major hurdles when it comes to building wealth. To help make it easier for disabled individuals with lower incomes to save, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., who serves as chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, is introducing a new proposal, called the ABLE MATCH Act. The legislation would create a federal dollar-for-dollar match for new and existing ABLE accounts for individuals who earn $28,000 or less per year. (Konish, 7/26)
The 19th: COVID Uncertainty Looms Over Americans With Disabilities Act Anniversary
July 26 is normally a time when disability groups gather and celebrate. On that date in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act — the landmark legislation that established wide-reaching rights for disabled Americans — was signed into law. But COVID-19 disrupted celebrations marking the anniversary in 2020. As millions of disabled and older Americans died in hospitals and nursing homes, the community took a step back from in-person organizing. (Luterman, 7/26)
The 19th: What Are Disability Doulas? People Provide Support Through Isolating Life Transitions
Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu began doing disability doula work long before they ever heard the term. From the time they were in middle school, they remember “being responsible for big, intense crisis situations” with their friends. Throughout high school, a close friend self-injured. Kaufman-Mthimkhulu would drive to her house and listen. They would also take care of their friend’s wounds, spend time watching bad TV shows and eat ice cream. What they didn’t do is blame or shame their friend. (Mithani, 7/26)
CBS News: Amazon Is Failing To Provide Accommodations For Disabled Workers, Labor Group Claims
Amazon is failing to provide adequate workplace accommodations for disabled employees, a violation of the American Disabilities Act (ADA), according to labor activists. Amazon workers with disabilities told United for Respect, a nonprofit group that advocates for retail workers, that the e-commerce giant's warehouses have high injury rates and that the company discriminates against disabled employees. Amazon's process for injured and disabled workers to request job accommodations is also unclear, according to a report released on Wednesday. (Bangalore, 7/26)
