[NFBMT] Fact Sheet: Access Technology Affordability Act, 1 of 4

Wed Jan 19 11:12:48 UTC 2022

Access Technology Affordability Act

The cost of critically needed access technology is out of reach for most
blind Americans. The Access Technology Affordability Act will improve
affordability of critically needed access technology necessary for employment
and independent living.

ACCESS TECHNOLOGY AFFORDABILITY ACT 
(H.R. 431/S. 212)

Issue—The cost of critically needed access technology is out of reach 
for most blind Americans.

The high cost of access technology creates a difficult economic reality. Most
access technology ranges from $1,000 to $6,000. For example, a leading screen
reader is $900, a popular Braille notetaker is $5,495, one model of a
refreshable Braille display is $2,795, and a moderately priced Braille
embosser is $3,695. According to the United States Census Bureau 69.1 percent
of blind Americans are either unemployed or underemployed.1 Consequently,
most blind Americans do not have sufficient financial resources needed to
purchase these items.2 These financial barriers can ultimately lead to a loss
of employment, insufficient education, or even isolation from community
activities.

Medical insurance will not cover the cost of access technology. Current
definitions of "medical care," "medical necessity," and "durable medical
equipment" within common insurance policies do not include access technology.
These definitions were adopted 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.”3 Many states’ Medicaid
programs and individual health insurance plans have adopted similar
definitions and likewise will not cover the cost of access technology.4

Access technology enables blind Americans to participate in today’s
workforce. Blindness is well-defined and measurable,5 but affects each person
differently and at different ages. Since individuals’ needs differ,
manufacturers have designed various tools that enable each blind American to
perform tasks that they were once unable to accomplish themselves due to
their blindness. Braille notetakers 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. Access technology equips blind Americans to seek
employment and stay employed. For the 69.1 percent of blind Americans who are
either unemployed or underemployed, it is a vehicle that facilitates the job
seeking process. Despite this critical need, public and private entities
struggle to meet consumer demand.6 This leads to untimely delays in the
delivery of necessary technology and ultimately harms the blind consumer.

Solution—Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212):

Makes access technology more affordable so that blind Americans can procure
these items for themselves. It establishes a refundable tax credit for blind
Americans in the amount of $2,000 to be used over a three-year period to
offset the cost of access technology. The credit created by the Access
Technology Affordability Act will sunset after five years and will be indexed
for inflation.

Provides flexibility for individuals to obtain access technology based upon
their specific needs. Accessibility requires an individualized assessment of
one’s own skills and needs. Therefore, blind Americans should be given the
opportunity to procure access technology on their own to ensure that they are
receiving the tools that are most useful for them.

Will increase federal income tax revenue. More blind Americans working means
more people paying taxes. It also means that those blind Americans who obtain
gainful employment through this tax credit will no longer need to draw from
federal programs such as Supplemental Security Income or Social Security
Disability Insurance and will instead be paying into the Social Security
Program. 

GOAL—IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY OF CRITICALLY NEEDED ACCESS TECHNOLOGY NECESSARY
FOR EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING.

Cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA)

To cosponsor the ATAA in the House of Representatives (H.R. 431), contact:

Crozer Connor, Senior Legislative Assistant for Congressman Mike Thompson
(D-CA) 
Phone: 202-225-3311, Email: crozer.connor at mail.house.gov
<mailto:crozer.connor at mail.house.gov> 

To cosponsor the ATAA in the Senate (S. 212), contact:

Ron Storhaug, Legislative Aide for Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)

Phone: 202-224-4524, Email:  <mailto:Ryan_Losak at boozman.senate.gov> R
<mailto:Ryan_Losak at boozman.senate.gov> on_Storhaug
<mailto:Ryan_Losak at boozman.senate.gov> @
<mailto:Ryan_Losak at boozman.senate.gov> sbc
<mailto:Ryan_Losak at boozman.senate.gov> .senate.gov

For more information, contact:

Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind

Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206, Email:  <mailto:jkaloc at nfb.org>
jkaloc at nfb.org, or visit  <http://www.nfb.org> www.nfb.org 

1 United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey. “The percentage of
non-institutionalized persons aged 21-64 years with a visual disability in
the United States who were employed full-time/full-year in 2018.” Compiled by
Cornell University.
<https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=4>
https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=4 

2 Erickson, W., Lee, C., von Schrader, S. (2016). "Disability Statistics from
the 2014 American Community Survey (ACS)." Ithaca, NY: Cornell University
Employment and Disability Institute (EDI). Retrieved November 11, 2016, from
<http://www.disabilitystatistics.org> www.disabilitystatistics.org 

3 National Council on Disability, “Federal Policy Barriers to Assistive
Technology,” (May 31, 2000) 8,
<http://www.ncd.gov/rawmedia_repository/c9e48e89_261b_4dda_bc74_203d5915519f.
pdf>
http://www.ncd.gov/rawmedia_repository/c9e48e89_261b_4dda_bc74_203d5915519f.p
df 

4 Assistive Technology Industry Associates, “AT Resources Funding Guide,”
<https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/resources-funding-guide/>
https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/resources-funding-guide/ (last
accessed December 10, 2018).

5 See 26 U.S.C § 63(f)(4).

6 See e.g. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services and Disability
Research, “Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request,”
<https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget20/justifications/i-rehab.pd
f>
https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget20/justifications/i-rehab.pdf
, p. I-50.

Joy Breslauer, Advocacy and Public Policy

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/> 

Live the life you want

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want. 

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