On Sept. 8, the Kaiser Family Foundation will hold a policy forum examining the health care issues facing people with disabilities and the opportunities and challenges presented by the new health care reform law enacted earlier this year. The discussion will explore the changes in health reform that could affect access to affordable health care for people with disabilities as well as the current and future role of the Medicare program in serving this population.

While Medicare is best known for providing health coverage to seniors, the program also covers 8 million younger Americans with permanent physical or mental disabilities. The forum will examine the results of a recent national survey of Medicare beneficiaries conducted by the Foundation, which found Medicare’s younger disabled population faces significantly greater challenges than seniors in accessing and affording needed health care. Younger Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities tend to have lower incomes than seniors and are more likely to suffer from multiple chronic health conditions. A Web First article based on key findings from the survey was published Aug. 12 by the journal Health Affairs.

Panelists will include Jeffrey Crowley, senior advisor on disability policy at the White House; Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center; Elizabeth Priaulx, a senior disability legal specialist with the National Disability Rights Network; and Juliette Cubanski, study co-author and associate director of the Foundation’s Medicare Policy Project. PBS Newshour co-anchor Judy Woodruff will moderate the discussion; and Tricia Neuman, Foundation vice president and director of the Medicare Policy Project, will provide opening remarks.

WHEN:
9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ET, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010 (Breakfast and registration at 9 a.m.)

WHERE:
Barbara Jordan Conference Center (Kaiser Family Foundation Office)
1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC (one block west of Metro Center)

RSVP:
Please register online to attend this event in person.