1. 10/22/17 APRIL Health Policy Forum
Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project: 90DP
A five year grant program funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

2. The Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living (CHRIL)
Objective: To discover and share essential information about how health reforms affect working-age adults with disabilities.
We need your help in developing research and Knowledge Translation products that fully meet this objective.

3. CHRIL Institutional Members
Washington State University (WSU)
University of Kansas (KU)
George Mason University (GMU)
Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) at TIRR Memorial Hermann

4. CHRIL Strategic Partners
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD)
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
Disability Research Interest Group (DRIG) of AcademyHealth
Urban Institute

5. The importance of health insurance for working-age adults with disabilities
Approximately 23.6 million working-age adults (11.6% of the U.S. population) in 2016 need assistance with daily activities, are limited or unable to work, have difficulty walking and/or remembering, or receive federal disability benefits.
Compared to people without disabilities, this population is much more likely to be in fair or poor health and to report multiple co- morbid health conditions. They are at higher risk of delaying or skipping needed medical care due to cost.
Average healthcare expenditures for adults with disabilities are 4 to 5 times higher than those without disabilities.

6. CHRIL Research Projects
Information needs of Centers for Independent Living
Health reform and health insurance experiences of people with disabilities (interviews and surveys)
Effect of reforms on coverage, costs, access and employment (secondary analysis of national surveys)
Knowledge translation activities (training and technical assistance)

7. Discussion guidelines
This is a semi-structured policy forum – we want to keep things informal, but cover as many points as we can
We are interested in your perspectives as a systems advocate or service provider, not your personal political opinions
Try to be focused and concise with your comments, we want to hear from as many people as possible
If you don’t get a chance to say everything you wanted, fill out the evaluation and comment card – we will stick around to provide assistance
If you think of something else, contact us directly;

8. Key discussion questions
Does your local disability organization provide health insurance enrollment assistance?
Does it engage in local or state health policy?
What are the special issues do you or your community face with regard to health insurance coverage and healthcare access?
What are your unmet information, training and technical assistance in the health insurance area?
How can we help?

9. Some previously identified policy concerns
Access to health services in rural communities
Health insurance coverage for young adults with disabilities
Costs of insurance premiums and co-pays
Coverage gaps – durable medical equipment, personal assistance
Intersectionality and health – cumulative impact of disability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and social class

10. Contact Information
Twitter.com/reform_ability
Disability and Health Insurance Online Self-Paced Tutorial
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