January 18, 2024
DREDF submitted written comments on the importance of maintaining federal efforts to advance research and improve patient care on Long COVID, particularly in light of the inequitable impact of failing to do so.
December 19, 2023
DREDF's comment letter to the Bureau emphasizes how disability advocates and researchers must not only be included, but must lead any changes to how the census counts people with disabilities.
November 13, 2023
DREDF's comments highlight some especially strong advocacy positions on accessible medical equipment, the scope of who should be included as a person with a disability for nondiscrimination purposes, and the relationship between Section 504 and Section 1557, the nondiscrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act.
June 9, 2023
The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) put out several questions on May 5, 2023 for public comment on the coverage and delivery of preventives services for people with disabilities. The AHRQ evidence-based practice center started an investigation in late April on the barriers that people with disabilities face when they seek preventive care, and seek information on the benefits and harms of interventions to reduce those barriers. AHRQ [lays a key role in the federal process that recognizes populations that experience health and healthcare disparities. DREDF has long argued that people with disabilities experience inequitable health and healthcare disparities. and provided responses to the AHRQ questions.
April 27, 2023
DREDF submitted comments to OMB on its initial proposal to update Statistical Policy Directive 15 on Race and Ethnicity Statistical Standards. The comments recognize that the proposed changes will mean a break with how race/ethnicity data has been previously collected and could make analysis over time difficult. However, DREDF agrees that it is critically important to ask for information about individuals and all their characteristics, including having a disability, in ways that center how people see themselves and uses language they understand.
January 12, 2023
The State Bar of California has proposed a rule change that, if implemented, will make it even harder to obtain testing accommodations and be a step backward for disability access and inclusion.
November 15, 2022
While DREDF is encouraged by state actions to equitably recognize their full disability population and more accurately capture their needs, we call on the Census Bureau to both follow the possibilities of what states have done and assume a leadership role in setting a new national standard for disability population data collection. We make the following recommendations...
November 29, 2022
We are organizations and networks representing people with disabilities who may need information about abortion or abortion services through California's abortion portal. We include blind people, deaf people, people with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities, people with mobility disabilities, and people who are higher weight.
October 3, 2022
DREDF strongly supports the proposed rule. It clarifies and strengthens nondiscrimination protections for people with disabilities and other populations that have experienced systemic barriers to receiving equally effective health care. Below we provide a more detailed section-by-section analysis of how particular provisions in the proposed rule will benefit the health and well-being of our communities. [...]
September 22, 2022
The Biden Administration proposes a stronger nondiscrimination rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. DREDF has written template comments that can be used by disability organizations and groups who want to support the proposed rule. People who want to share their specific experience can also directly submit a comment through an individual comment portal. You can also look at other template comments written from specific view points such as people of color, limited English speakers, and LGBTQ+ persons. [...]