The beach is my happy place. It has become a happy place for our family. The sun, the sand, the water, it’s healing. We have always done our best to make traveling accessible and enjoyable for Reagan. There is no way I could enjoy my happy place if Reagan could not enjoy it. Along the way, we have found some beach essentials for wheelchair users. Beach accessibility has come a long way in the last
Author: mollyedavid
Understanding the Relationship Between the Debt Ceiling and SSI Payments The debt ceiling can have significant impacts on the Social Security Income (SSI) program. Debt Ceiling: What is it? The debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money that the government can borrow to pay its outstanding bills and other financial obligations. Essentially, it sets a limit on how much money the government can borrow to cover its expenses. Failure to raise the debt ceiling
Filing for benefits and services for your child with disabilities differs by state. What doesn’t differ is the general process. This is overwhelming at first, but worth it, if your child has more services. Whether you’re applying for a Medicaid Waiver, SSI, or community-based services, there are some important things to remember. Apply. If your child is receiving special education services through their public school, there are programs and benefits that you should access. Even
Information for parents of disabled people transitioning into adulthood. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a government program that provides monthly income to people with disabilities (or who are over 65) with limited or no income to help them meet their basic needs, like food and shelter. SSI is a federal program but the states administer it. States have the option of providing additional funds and/or automatic health insurance through Medicaid. To qualify, the person applying
What you can do to protect coverage for yourself or someone you love. Health Care is expensive. According to the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, US healthcare spending reached $4.3 trillion in 2021. That makes healthcare spending 18.3% of the US Gross Domestic Product. So, it is not surprising that states have started removing Medicaid coverage for many of their residents. During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), the federal government barred states from
And how the government could make it easier There are many barriers for people with a disability and they are not all physical. There is an economic cost to having a disability that needs to be recognized. We expect that individuals with a disability will have higher healthcare costs and needs, but we overlook all the “extra” costs. These costs often force people living with a disability to choose between their independence and their government
According to Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA): Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities. These allow people with disabilities to have more independent and active lives. Some examples are positioning equipment, bed rails, bolsters, pillows, wedges, dressing aids, scooters, talking alarms, communication boards, and specialty switches. Anything that helps someone with a disability
It is important to stay up to date on issues regarding your child’s disability or health issues. I have attended events related to my daughter’s diagnosis and general disability events. I have come away from these events with more knowledge of how to best support my daughter. If you are interested in attending these types of events, many local organizations have grants for families, you can use public funds by including training costs in your
The importance of financial planning. If you or a loved one have a disability, then you know protecting assets and planning for financial stability is important. I have written about Special Needs Trusts and their advantages for saving. Another way to save is to open an ABLE account. ABLE accounts have been in the news recently because Congress just passed a bill to raise the age for qualifying from 26 to 46, though it won’t