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</style><title>July 24, 2002</title><div class="original-url"><br><a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/word/2017washingtonseminar/final_2017_tax_fact_sheet.docx">https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/word/2017washingtonseminar/final_2017_tax_fact_sheet.docx</a><br><br></div><div id="article" role="article" style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="system exported">
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<div class="page" style="text-align: start; word-wrap: break-word; max-width: 100%;"><h1 class="title" style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 2em; line-height: 1.2em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; text-align: start; -webkit-hyphens: manual; display: block; max-width: 100%;">July 24, 2002</h1><p style="max-width: 100%;"><a name="OLE_LINK1" style="text-decoration: none; max-width: 100%;"></a><a name="OLE_LINK2" style="text-decoration: none; max-width: 100%;"></a><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Access Technology </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Affordability</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> Act</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><br style="max-width: 100%;"></span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">I</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">ncrease the availability of access technology and promote </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">affordability of </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">that technology</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> for blind Americans</span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Access technology enable</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">s</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> blind Americans to </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">participate in </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">today’s</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">connected world</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">. </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">These tools enable blind Americans to perform tasks that they were once unable to accomplish themselves due to their disability. </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Braille note</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">takers are frequently used in schools, screen reading software allows workers to check their email at home, and screen magnification software can help seniors losing vision learn about community activities. Despite the need for access technology, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">public and private entities </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">struggle to</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">meet the demands and </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">provide </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">adequate access technology to their clients, including blind Americans.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> This leads to</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> untimely delays in </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">the delivery of</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> necessary </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">technology</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">and ultimately harms the blind consumer</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Paying for access technology out-of-pocket creates a difficult</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> economic</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> reality.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Nearly sixty percent of blind Americans are unemployed</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">compared to </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">under</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> five percent</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> for the general population.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> M</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">ost access technology can</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> range in cost from $1,000 to $6</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">,000. </span></span><a name="_GoBack" style="text-decoration: none; max-width: 100%;"></a><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">For example, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">a leading</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> screen reader is $900, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">a popular</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">B</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">raille note</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">taker</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> is $5,495,</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> one</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">model of a </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">refreshable Braille display is $2,795, and </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">a moderately priced Braille</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> embosser is $3,695. Consequently, most blind Americans</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> do not have</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> sufficient</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">financial resources</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">needed </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">to purchase </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">these </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">items</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> These </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">financial </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">barriers </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">can ultimately lead to a</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> loss </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">of</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> employment</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">insufficient</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> education, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">or even</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> isolation from community activities. </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Medical insurance will not cover the cost of access technology. </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Current definitions of "medical care," "medical necessity," and "durable medical equipment" within common insurance policies do not </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">and should not </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">include access technology.</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">These definitions </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">were </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">adopted</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> in the 1960s when medical care was viewed primarily as curative and palliative, with little or no consideration given to increasing an individual's functional status.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">However, Congress recognized that blindness, unlike other disabilities, could be measured</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">easily</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Many states’ Medicaid programs and </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">individual </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">health insurance plans have </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">adopted </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">similar </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">definitions</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">and</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> will not cover </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">access technology</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">.</span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">A</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">ccess Technology </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Affordability</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> Act: </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">The Access Technology </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Affordability</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> Act provides a simple solution that will increase the availability of access technology so that blind Americans can procure these</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">items</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> for themselves. </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">It</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">establishes </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">a</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> per-person </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">individual refundable tax credit of up to $</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">2</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">,000 </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">over a three-year period </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">to be used</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> to offset the cost of access technology for blind people</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Historically, Congress has created similar tax incentive</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">s (e.g., Disabled Access Credit</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">) for business owners required to make accommodations</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">--</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">including </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">access technology</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">--</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">for employees and patrons with disabilities.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Congress removed financial barriers so that businesses did not view the needs of people with disabilities as a burden.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">These opportunities are currently only available to business owners while blind Americans, for the most part, must depend on others to procure access technology for them.</span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">T</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">here is no one-size-fits-all solution to meet the access technology needs of all blind Americans. </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Accessibility requires an individualized assessment of one’s own skills and preference. Therefore, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">blind </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Americans</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">should be given the opportunity</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> to </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">procure</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">access technology</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">on their own to ensure that they are receiving the </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">tools</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> that are most useful </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">for</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> them</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">.</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">REMOVE FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF ACCESS TECHNOLOGY </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Sponsor the Access Technology </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Affordability</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> Act</span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">For more information</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">,</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> contact:</span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Kimie Beverly</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Government Affairs Specialist, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">National Federation of the Blind</span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Phone: <a href="tel:(410) 659-9314" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%;">(410) 659-9314</a>, </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">e</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">xt</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">ension</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">2441, E</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">mail: </span></span><a href="mailto:kbeverly@nfb.org" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">kbeverly@nfb.org</span></span></a></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">For more information visit <a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a> </span></span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></p><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><p style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Mark Riccobono</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">,</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">President</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> |</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">200 East Wells Street </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">at Jernigan Place</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">Baltimore, M</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;">D</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> 21230</span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> | </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> <a href="tel:410 659 9314" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%;">410 659 9314</a></span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> | </span></span><span style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"><a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a></span></span></p></div><span style="max-width: 100%;"> </span></div></div></div></div><div><br><br>Jim McCollum<div>Legislative Co-ordinator</div><div>National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut</div><div><a href="mailto:j.mccollum64@comcast.net">j.mccollum64@comcast.net</a></div><div>860-581-0430</div><div>Sent from my iPhone</div></div></body></html>