<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<xml>
  <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
    <o:AllowPNG/>
    <o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch>
  </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml>
<![endif]-->
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%">
        <tbody>
                <tr>
                        <td style="height:20px"> </td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                        <td style="vertical-align:top">
                        <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:600px">
                                <tbody>
                                        <tr>
                                                <td style="background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none">
                                                <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%">
                                                        <tbody>
                                                                <tr>
                                                                        <td style="background-color:#0075c9; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none; height:10px; text-align:center; vertical-align:top; width:100%">
                                                                        <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
                                                                                <tbody>
                                                                                        <tr>
                                                                                                <td>
                                                                                                <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
                                                                                                        <tbody>
                                                                                                                <tr>
                                                                                                                        <td style="background-color:transparent; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none"><img alt="" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg" style="background-color:#0075c9; border-color:currentcolor; border-style:solid; border-width:0px; display:block; height:28px; margin:0px; width:600px" /></td>
                                                                                                                </tr>
                                                                                                        </tbody>
                                                                                                </table>
                                                                                                </td>
                                                                                        </tr>
                                                                                </tbody>
                                                                        </table>
                                                                        </td>
                                                                </tr>
                                                        </tbody>
                                                </table>
                                                </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                                <td style="background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none">
                                                <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%">
                                                        <tbody>
                                                                <tr>
                                                                        <td style="background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none; height:10px; text-align:center; vertical-align:top; width:100%">
                                                                        <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
                                                                                <tbody>
                                                                                        <tr>
                                                                                                <td>
                                                                                                <table border="0" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0">
                                                                                                        <tbody>
                                                                                                                <tr>
                                                                                                                        <td style="background-color:transparent; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none"><a href="nfb.org"><img alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" style="background-color:transparent; border-color:currentcolor; border-style:solid; border-width:0px; display:block; height:220px; margin:0px; width:200px" /></a></td>
                                                                                                                </tr>
                                                                                                        </tbody>
                                                                                                </table>
                                                                                                </td>
                                                                                        </tr>
                                                                                </tbody>
                                                                        </table>
                                                                        </td>
                                                                </tr>
                                                        </tbody>
                                                </table>
                                                </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                                <td style="background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none">
                                                <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height:145px; width:600px">
                                                        <tbody>
                                                                <tr>
                                                                        <td style="background-color:#ffffff; border-color:initial; border-style:none; border-width:medium; height:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:100%">
                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif;"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</strong></span></span></p>

                                                                        <h1><span style="font-size:28pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">Federal Office of Personnel Management Improving Access to Health Benefits Information for Blind Employees</span></span></h1>

                                                                        <h2><span style="font-size:20pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; "><em>Agreement Resolves Litigation by Retired Federal Worker and National Federation of the Blind</em></span></span></h2>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; "><strong>Chicago (May 19, 2021): </strong>Under a consent decree entered in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois last week, the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has agreed to take steps to ensure that health benefit information is accessible to blind federal employees, retirees, and other plan participants.</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">The consent decree resolves a <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21278&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">lawsuit</a> brought in 2019 by Jamal Mazrui, a retired blind federal employee, and the National Federation of the Blind, America’s civil rights organization of the blind.</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">Among other steps, OPM will ensure that health-benefit information on opm.gov is accessible and will notify all providers of federal employee health benefits that they must make their own federal employee benefits websites and mobile apps accessible or face potential consequences to their contracts.</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">“The federal government is probably the largest single employer of blind people, and all current and retired employees must have equal access to information about their health benefits in order to protect and provide for themselves and their families,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We expect the government to provide leadership in equal access. This resolution is a positive step in that direction and we are pleased that OPM has already taken many steps to ensure the blind have access to this critical information.”</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">“Everyone should be able to access their personal health insurance information privately and independently,” said Rachel M. Weisberg, attorney with Equip for Equality, the protection and advocacy system for the state of Illinois. “We applaud OPM’s commitment to ensuring that all carriers that provide health insurance coverage will be accessible to the blind community.” </span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">The plaintiffs are represented by Equip for Equality and the Baltimore law firm of Brown Goldstein & Levy, LLP.</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">###</span></span></p>

                                                                        <h2><span style="font-size:20pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">About the National Federation of the Blind</span></span></h2>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21279&qid=5396760'
rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">nfb.org</a></span></span></p>

                                                                        <h2><span style="font-size:20pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">About Equip for Equality</span></span></h2>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">Equip for Equality (EFE) is a private, not-for-profit entity designated in 1985 by the Governor to administer the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy System for safeguarding the rights of people with disabilities in Illinois. EFE is dedicated to expanding opportunities for people with disabilities to live full and independent lives by providing self-advocacy assistance, legal services, disability rights education, public policy advocacy and abuse investigations. For more information, go to <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21280&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"
target="_blank">equipforequality.org</a>.</span></span></p>

                                                                        <h2><span style="font-size:20pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">CONTACT:</span></span></h2>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">Chris Danielsen<br />
                                                                        Director of Public Relations<br />
                                                                        National Federation of the Blind<br />
                                                                        (410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br />
                                                                        (410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br />
                                                                        <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21281&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif; ">Rachel M. Weisberg<br />
                                                                        Attorney<br />
                                                                        Equip for Equality<br />
                                                                        (312) 895-7319<br />
                                                                        <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21282&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">rachelw@equipforequality.org</a></span></span></p>
                                                                        </td>
                                                                </tr>
                                                        </tbody>
                                                </table>
                                                </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                                <td style="height:8px"> </td>
                                        </tr>
                                </tbody>
                        </table>
                        </td>
                </tr>
        </tbody>
</table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" align="center" style="background-color:#002f6d; padding:0; border:0; margin:0 auto; width:600px"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 60px;"> <td style="width:135px;"> </td> <td style="width:55px; background-color:#002f6d; padding:0; border:0; margin:0 auto;"> <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21283&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow'> <img alt="Facebook Logo" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-facebook-ms.png" /> </a> </td> <td style="width:55px; background-color:#002f6d; padding:0; border:0; margin:0 auto;"> <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21284&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow'> <img alt="Twitter Logo" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-twitter-ms.png" />
</a> </td> <td style="width:55px; background-color:#002f6d; padding:0; border:0; margin:0 auto;"> <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21285&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow'> <img alt="Instagram Logo" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-instagram-ms.png" /></a> </td> <td style="width:55px; background-color:#002f6d; padding:0; border:0; margin:0 auto;"> <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21286&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow'> <img alt="YouTube Logo" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-youtube-ms.png" /></a> </td> <td style="width:55px; background-color:#002f6d; padding:0; border:0; margin:0 auto;"> <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21287&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow'> <img
alt="Email Icon Image" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-email-ms.png" /></a> </td> <td style="width:55px; background-color:#002f6d; padding:0; border:0; margin:0 auto;"> <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21288&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow'> <img alt="Donate to the NFB Icon." src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-donte-ms.png" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; border-color: currentcolor; display: block; background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; width: 50px; height: 35px;" /> </a> </td> <td style="width:135px"> </td> </tr> <tr style="color: white; height: 25px;"> <td colspan="8" align="center" style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold">
National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 25px;"> <td colspan="8" align="center" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold"> <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=16780&qid=5396760&h=dd77bb198039ed82" title="Unsubscribe" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold">Unsubscribe</a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=16780&qid=5396760&h=dd77bb198039ed82" title="Opt Out" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold">Opt
Out</a> |  <a href='https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=21289&qid=5396760' rel='nofollow' title="Sign up for email newsletter" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold">Sign Up for Our E-newsletter</a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="8" align="center" style="display: none; color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold"> <div class="location vcard"><span class="adr"><span class="street-address">200 East Wells St.</span><br /><span class="locality">Baltimore</span>, <span class="postal-code">21230</span><br /><span class="country-name">United States</span></span></div>.. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/msv5/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" alt="Web Bug from https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/open?qid=5396760" />