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Thirty-four years ago this month, we took a giant step in the fight for equality for all Americans with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Passed on July 26, 1990, the ADA made an incredible difference in the lives of millions of Americans with disabilities.
Since then, we have designated each July as Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate members of the disability community – our family, friends and neighbors – and recognize the incredible contributions they make in the world every day. Over the past 34 years, our country and state have made great strides, but true equality and equity remain an unmet goal.
A recent study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) identified people with disabilities as a population that faces health disparities. According to the report, people with disabilities suffer from “poorer health outcomes and shorter life expectancies” due to society’s built infrastructure. These barriers to equity and health don’t just come from inaccessible buildings. The NIH report highlights that the very systems designed to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities also contain systemic barriers in “practices, programs, and policies” that lead to discrimination and exclusion.
These types of barriers are not as obvious as a front door that only has stairs available, but they are deeply ingrained in the daily lives of people with disabilities and prevent certain people from accessing the same opportunities as others. This is unacceptable and we must change this.
As Chair of the Minnesota Senate Human Resources Committee, I am proud of the work my committee has done over the past two years. Working in a bipartisan manner, we have taken many important steps to reduce or eliminate barriers of all kinds that prevent Minnesotans with disabilities from living fulfilling lives in their homes and communities.
The 2023 Human Services Budget included the largest investment in state history in care and services that support Minnesota’s disability community. The budget prioritized person-centered programs and signaled that the state is beginning to acknowledge that this area needs significant investment. We expanded access to services so more Minnesotans can get the care they need, and we’ve really improved people’s ability to live independent lives through grants and policy changes that help children grow up with their loved ones, stay in school, and help people live in the environments and communities of their choice.
One of our top priorities is to ensure that no Minnesotan has to choose between work and their health. Imagine being so successful at work that you can no longer get the health care that made your success possible. This is the unfortunate reality faced by many Minnesotans in the Employment and Disability (MA-EPD) program.
MA-EPD is a program for people who need care and services, like personal care assistants and specialized equipment, that aren’t covered by traditional health insurance offered through their employer. For years, the program was plagued by asset limits and bureaucratic hurdles, forcing participants to shoulder burdensome paperwork and additional premiums on top of their existing medical costs. These requirements placed new burdens on people with disabilities and made a mockery of so-called progress in the fight against inequality.
That’s why addressing this barrier to equality has been a priority for the Senate Human Resources Committee. In Budget 2023, we removed the $20,000 asset limit for people participating in the program. In Budget 2024, we built on the progress we’ve made by streamlining premium reviews and simplifying the process for enrollment. This is undeniable progress, but it’s not enough.
There is bipartisan legislation and energy from advocates and lawmakers to break down the last barrier MA-EPD enrollees face: the premiums they pay to stay healthy and keep working. Senator Erin Mae Quaid has introduced legislation to remove the costly barrier of paying MA-EPD premiums. This is a bipartisan proposal co-authored by our committee’s ranking Republican, committee vice chair Senator Jim Avellar, Senator Omar Fateh, and me. In 2025, the Legislature has an opportunity to pass Mae Quaid’s bill. By eliminating excessive MA-EPD premiums, this bill promises that Minnesotans with disabilities who are enrolled in MA-EPD will not have to sacrifice their independence to achieve professional success. Eliminating all barriers built into our system that continue to create health disparities for people with disabilities is my top priority, and MA-EPD premiums are one of the barriers that must be reformed.
As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, let us renew our commitment to fight for true equality and fairness for all. Together, we can build a future where all Minnesotans have the opportunity to thrive, regardless of ability.
Senator John Hoffman (D-Champlin) is a Minnesota Senator and Chairman of the Senate Personnel Committee.