[Ohio-Talk] H.R. 3702 and S. 1467 Access Technology Affordability Act

[Suzanne Turner]

Access Technology Affordability Act

article

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 

 

X

 

6,000. For example, a leading screen reader is 

 

X

 

5,495, one model of a refreshable Braille display is 

 

X

 

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:

 

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 ATAA 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

 

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: Ron_Storhaug at sbc.senate.gov

 

For more information, contact:

 

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

Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206, Email: 

jkaloc at nfb.org

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