Mission

The CCD Health Task Force works to ensure access to high quality, accessible, affordable health care for people with disabilities and complex conditions of all ages that meets their individual needs and enables them to be healthy, live as independently as possible, and participate in the community. We work to promote access to comprehensive coverage and eliminate discrimination, disparities and inequities for people with disabilities within and across health care payers, providers, and systems. We recognize that racist and ableist structures, policies and practices have caused and continue to cause disproportionately worse outcomes for Black, Indigenous and other people of color with disabilities. And just as race and disability discrimination intersect, social determinants of health and compounding inequities related to age, size, national origin, immigration status, language, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation, can further reduce access to care and community for people with disabilities. Our advocacy prioritizes recognizing such inequities and championing policies that will reduce and eventually eliminate them.

Co-chairs

• Caroline Bergner
  American Speech Language Hearing Association
  301-296-5677
  cbergner@asha.org

• David Machledt
  National Health Law Program (NHELP)
  202-289-7661 phone 
  202-289-7724 fax 
  machledt@healthlaw.org

• Peter Thomas
  Brain Injury Association of America
  202-466-6550 phone 
  202-785-1756 fax 
  peter.thomas@ppsv.com 

ACTIVITIES

Health Task Force Health Task Force 2021 Annual Report (January 11,  2022) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force CCD Health and LTSS Task Forces comments to the HHS Strategic Plan The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Health and Long Term Services and Supports Task Forces write in response to your request for public comment on the Draft HHS Strategic Plan for FY 2022-2026. CCD is the largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for federal public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. (November 5,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Letter to CDC on Need for Better Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters and Additional Doses The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) is the largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for federal public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. The undersigned members of the CCD Health Task Force and allies are writing to ask for more guidance and outreach on vaccine boosters and additional doses for people with disabilities and chronic conditions. (October 19,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force CCD Health TF Comment Letter on IRF RCD We, the undersigned members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Health Task Force, appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). The RCD would impose 100% medical review by CMS contractors on every Medicare beneficiary admitted to an IRF in up to 17 states over a five-year demonstration period. The premise of this expansive audit demonstration is to help ensure that Medicare beneficiaries admitted to IRFs are appropriate patients to be served in that setting of care. (October 8,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Comments on Requirements Related to Surprise Billing Part I The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) is the largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for federal public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. We, the undersigned members of the CCD Health Task Force, thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important consumer protection. We are strongly supportive of the efforts to protect people from surprise bills. Our comments here are limited to the accessibility of information and other areas of rulemaking with a particular impact on people with disabilities. (September 7,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Response to Request for Information on Design Considerations for Legislation to Develop a Public Health Insurance Option The undersigned members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) write in response to your request for information on design considerations for legislation to develop a public health insurance option. CCD is the largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for federal public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. (July 30,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Comments on Proposed Rule: Updating Payment Parameters, Section 1332 Waiver Implementing Regulations, and Improving Health Insurance Markets for 2022 and Beyond We the undersigned members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Health Task Force appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed rule - Updating Payment Parameters, Section 1332 Waiver Implementing Regulations, and Improving Health Insurance Markets for 2022 and Beyond (hereinafter “UPP Rule”). (July 28,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Letter to Congress on Health Priorities for Recovery from Health and Long-Term Services and Supports Task Forces The undersigned members of the Health and Long-Term Services and Supports task forces of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) write to urge Congress to include the $400 billion investment in Medicaid HCBS infrastructure and other critical investments to make health care more accessible and affordable for people with disabilities in the next recovery package. (June 10,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Letter to HHS Office for Civil Rights on Accessibility and Prioritization of the COVID Vaccine for the Disability Community The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) is the largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for federal public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. The undersigned members of the CCD Health Task Force and allies write to provide input regarding allocation and accessibility of the coronavirus vaccines authorized for emergency use. (April 8,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force CHAMPVA Childrens Protection Act Letter of Support from Vets and Health Task Forces to Rep. Brownley The undersigned members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Veterans Task Force and Health Care Task Force thank you for introducing H.R. 1801, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) Children’s Care Protection Act. CCD is a coalition of more than 100 national disability rights, advocacy, consumer, provider and self-advocates organizations representing the more than 61 million Americans with disabilities. (March 29,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force CHAMPVA Childrens Protection Act Letter of Support from Vets and Health Task Forces to Sen. Brown The undersigned members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Veterans Task Force and Health Care Task Force thank you for introducing S. 727, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) Children’s Care Protection Act. CCD is a coalition of more than 100 national disability rights, advocacy, consumer, provider and self-advocates organizations representing the more than 61 million Americans with disabilities. (March 29,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Letter to HHS regarding concerns about pending rule and guidance on Disability Discrimination in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities, Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, and the Affordable Care Act’s Nondiscrimination Protections The undersigned members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Rights and Health Task Forces write to urge HHS to move forward with rules and guidance on the topics that are the subject of the above-captioned Request for Information, to withdraw and revise the above-captioned proposed rule concerning health privacy rights, and to revisit the above-captioned final rule implementing the Affordable Care Act’s non-discrimination provisions. (March 2,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force AAPD-CCD letter to Secretary-Designate Becerra with disability health care priorities following up on disability groups' meeting Thank you for meeting with our organizations to discuss the disability community’s priorities for the Biden Administration. Our nation is currently home to more than 61 million people with disabilities, and this number grows every day. The disability community is incredibly diverse in both identity and experience. Disability is most prevalent in women and in Black, Indigenous, and people of color. (January 28,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Annual Report - Health Task Force (January 8,  2021) - Download [ PDF ] Health Task Force Joint LTSS and Health Task Force Comments on CMS' COVID-19 Interim Final Rule. The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Health and Long Term Services and Supports Task Forces appreciate the opportunity to submit comments on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Interim Final Rule “Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency." (January 4,  2021) - Download [ PDF ]