Laws & Regulations

Letter from Cindy Mann, Director, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) about changes to Section 1915(i) of the Social Security Act which take effect on October 1, 2010.  These changes include revised and new 1915(i) provisions for removal of barriers to offering home and community-based services (HCBS) through the Medicaid State plan. Section 1915(i) gives states an opportunity to offer services and supports before individuals need institutional care. The letter provides states guidance on important changes to the law. This link opens a PDF document. 

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) fact sheet addresses common questions regarding the ADA in relation to cancer.

Guidance and enforcement information from the the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act.

Information and services the U.S. Department of Labor offers concerning the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and other health insurance issues. Also find answers to frequently asked questions about COBRA.

Provides information on rights and obligations under federal disability laws, including an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The entire publication can be downloaded in PDF format.

Fact sheet regarding epilepsy in the workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The United Spinal Association and the National Spinal Cord Injury Association have issued a guide on healthcare and insurance reforms that explains how they improve the lives of people with disabilities. The Impact of Health Care Reform on People with Disabilities has information about insurance market reforms; mandatory health plan coverage provisions; home- and community-based services; Medicare outpatient therapy caps and Medicaid eligibility requirements; and the new standards that ensure medical equipment in doctors' offices and other medical facilities are accessible. For more information on this subject read Health Reform for Americans with Disabilities in PDF format.

Information on how to file a complaint if you have been discriminated against by a state or local social service, by a health services agency or by a hospital receiving federal funds.

Information on how HIPAA regulations affect practices for community treatment providers, consumers, single state agencies, public and private payers of alcohol, substance abuse and mental health services and professional and trade associations.

USCIS Form N-648 from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for applicants seeking an exception from the English and U.S. history and government (civics) requirements for naturalization based on physical or developmental disability or mental impairment.

Medicare beneficiaries will soon receive information in the mail about the immediate benefits they may see from the new the Affordable Care Act. The first benefit that several million Medicare beneficiaries will receive is a one-time check for $250, if they enter the Part D donut hole and are not eligible for Medicare Extra Help. The donut hole, or coverage gap, is the period in the prescription drug benefit in which a beneficiary pays 100 percent of the cost of their drugs until they hit the catastrophic coverage. Next year, all beneficiaries who enter the gap will get a 50 percent discount for covered brand name Part D drugs. Also beginning next year, Medicare beneficiaries will get preventive care services like colorectal cancer screening and mammograms without cost-sharing, in addition to an annual wellness visit. A fact sheet about Medicare and the new health care law is available in English and Spanish.

Information on the MHPA, which provides regulations regarding mental health benefits under group health plans.

The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights has issued new technical assistance guidance for medical providers, which will help people with mobility disabilities obtain accessible medical care. Access to Medical Care for Persons with Mobility Disabilities will help medical care providers in understanding how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 apply to them. For more information about the ADA or to get copies of this booklet, visit ada.gov or call the ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY).

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance on enforcing ADA provisions as they relate to psychiatric disabilities.

Provides the full text of both the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. Includes a section-by-section analysis of these laws and a summary of some of the immediate benefits of this legislation.

A brief outline of aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 related to employees and drug and alcohol abuse.

Fact sheet from the Department of Health and Human Services on the rights of people with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA. This link opens a PDF document.