Freedom Friday: Achieving Better Life Experience
A broad coalition of three-dozen national organizations is backing the effort to support legislation known as the Achieving Better Life Experience Act, or ABLE Act. The bill would allow people with disabilities the ability to create special savings accounts where they could accrue as much as $100,000 without losing access to benefits like Social Security or Medicaid. Under current law, people with disabilities often cannot have more than $2,000 to their name without forfeiting many government benefits. The funds will supplement but not replace benefits provided through Medicaid, Social Security and private insurance, allowing families with sons or daughters with significant disabilities a means to provide for extra costs associated with every day activities and community participation. “Qualified Disability Expenses” include: Education, Housing, Transportation, Employment Support, Health Prevention and Wellness (medical and dental care included), Assistive Technology, and Personal Support.
With 240 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives and 38 in the Senate, Sara Weir, vice president of advocacy at the National Down Syndrome Society, says momentum behind the bill is strong…“ You’d be hard-pressed to find another piece of legislation that has as much bipartisan support as the ABLE Act,” Weir said, noting that backers of the bill span the ideological spectrum in Congress…“We definitely feel like we have the support to pass the legislation.”
You can find further information at the National Disability Institute: http://www.realeconomicimpact.org/Public-Policy/ABLE-Act.aspx
Call your Senator and U.S. Representative and encourage them to support this bill that encourages work, savings, and asset development for people with disabilities and that can reduce dependence on public benefits.
Minnesota
US Senator Amy Klobuchar (218) 287-2219
US Senator Al Franken (218) 230-9487
US Representative Collin Peterson (218) 847-5056
North Dakota
US Senator Kent Conrad (701) 232-8030
US Senator John Hoeven (701) 239-5389
US Representative Rick Berg (701) 235-9760
