News at a Glance
New Web site makes finding affordable housing easier
For people struggling
to put a roof over their head, HousingLink introduces the newest
way to find affordable housing in Minnesota – hList.
With hList, anyone with Internet access can search for affordable
rentals by location, rent amount and bedroom size. Key features include:
listing properties with accessible units, free access, and easy-to-sort,
easy-to-print results. Before hList, HousingLink offered two ways
to find affordable housing online: the Private Market Vacancy Report
(PMVR) and Online Directory of Affordable Rental Housing. hList integrates
the best of both resources to create a powerful and intuitive new
search tool.
“We went to great lengths to gather feedback from our users
to determine the design of the hList,” said Ben Van Hunnik,
marketing manager with HousingLink. “I met with renters, service
providers and property owners to see what they wanted in a new search
tool. Their feedback helped us develop an easier, more effective
resource for people in need of affordable housing.”
Source:
www.housinglink.org
Medicare bill survives presidential veto
Key measures on Medicare
payments and equipment have cleared both houses of Congress. On July
9 the Senate passed the Medicare bill (HR 6331) by a veto-proof majority
(69 – 30). The House
passed the legislation in June, 355-59. That vote that is also
comfortably more than the two-thirds majority needed to override
a presidential veto. President George W. Bush vetoed the measure
July 15, but Congress quickly overrode the veto.
The legislation was seen by
many as a battle between health insurers against physicians. The
new law halts a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors,
which was part of a cost-saving schedule set to be implemented July
1. The American Medical Association lobbied for the legislation,
saying its members might have to cut back on seeing Medicare patients
if the cuts went into effect. The legislation will make cuts to Medicare
Advantage, an alternate program that private insurers participate
in. It also affects a number of other programs, including purchase
of equipment. The legislation doesn’t make
any changes to the current first-month purchase option for power
wheelchairs.
This article was compiled
from online news accounts in the Washington Post and Associated Press. ![end of article bullet]()
Social Security Administration
makes Web site more user-friendly
The Social Security Administration
is interested in providing the most efficient and effective website
possible. The agency has
unveiled a redesigned home page, meant to be more user-friendly. The
new look follows the standard for design principles in the industry
by reducing clutter, improving navigation, making better use of graphics,
reducing the need to scroll down and prioritizing items on the page.
Some of the major changes include the placement of prominent links
to Filing Online for Retirement Benefits, Applying for Disability
Benefits and Requesting a Social Security Card to help reduce the
number of unnecessary trips to a local Social Security office; the
creation of a brief video greeting which will help many people, including
those with certain visual disabilities; and the consolidation of
information, services and schedules of payments for people already
receiving benefits. Before launching this redesign, staff consulted
with the Social Security Advisory Board, Congressional staff, external
stakeholders and web design experts. Focus groups were conducted
with members of the public. The site was tested for usability and
Section 508 compliance to ensure that those with disabilities could
easily navigate it. Comments on the newly designed home page are
sought. A link has been created for the submission of feedback.
Source: www.socialsecurity.gov ![end of article bullet]()
Republican National Convention Accessibility
options
Metro Transit buses will not be used to take guests of the upcoming
Republican National Convention back and forth between the Xcel
Energy Center and their hotels, making guaranteed accessibility
uncertain. In their place, charter companies from around the state
will be providing transportation. Some of those buses will not
be accessible. However, a spokesperson for the disability office
of the convention said accessible vans to meet special needs will
be available on an on-call basis. The vans will be limited to convention
delegates, alternates, media personnel and guests who have credentials.
In addition, wheelchairs will be provided by the convention if needed.
The convention itself will be ASL interpreted, by a contracted local
company. Finally, large print material and listening devices will
be available by request.
Source: Roger Fuller ![end of article bullet]()
Medical center to pay $195,000
to settle in EEOC lawsuit
Virginia Mason Medical Center
has agreed to provide $195,000 and other relief to settle a federal
lawsuit charging that the Seattle nonprofit health organization unlawfully
fired CaTina White due to a back injury. According to the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) lawsuit, surgical technician
White had worked at Virginia Mason’s facility in Seattle for
more than three years when she sustained an on-the-job injury to
her back and took medical leave. When she returned to work with a
medical release that restricted her from heavy lifting and prolonged
standing, Virginia Mason informed her that she could no longer perform
her job under those restrictions. The EEOC charged that the center
failed to reassign White to vacate equivalent positions for which
she was qualified and could perform, and unlawfully terminated
her due to her disability.
Disability discrimination violates the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA), which requires employers to make reasonable accommodations
for employees’ disabilities as long as this does not pose an
undue hardship on the business. The EEOC filed the lawsuit after
first attempting to reach a voluntary agreement. The settlement allowed
Virginia Mason to deny any wrongdoing but they did agree to pay White
monetary damages. In addition, the center will review its anti-discrimination
policies regarding disability and commits to allowing up to six months
to reassign employees with disabilities to a vacant position for
which they are qualified. Virginia Mason will also train supervisors
to ensure that they fully understand their legal obligations under
the ADA to applicants and employees.
Source: EEOC News ![end of article bullet]()
New guide makes buying toys for differently-abled kids easier
When
selecting a gift for a child with special needs, family and friends
often have trouble choosing the right toy. Mostly,
they want the child to receive everyday playthings that are fun,
new and appropriate to their abilities. To help these loved
ones find the perfect gift, Toys“R”Us has again partnered
with National Lekotek Center to create the 2008 Toys“R”Us
Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids. The guide is released in September
and available throughout the year. Each year, this easy-to-use
resource helps parents, family, friends and professionals in finding
toys that cater to—or help develop—a child’s particular
abilities. Many partnering disabilities organizations, including
the National Muscular Association and National Down Syndrome Society
distribute the Guide to their members. The free, one-of-a-kind toy
guide speaks to a child’s individual needs and offers qualified
toy recommendations based on research from National Lekotek Center,
an independent, non-profit organization that handpicks and tests
the toys featured in the Guide.
The Guide is also available at www.toysrus.com/differently
abled.
An updated, colorful and easy-to-use online version of the Guide,
it now includes the same recognizable symbols from the print edition,
assigned to each item so parents can find toys that cater to their
child’s skills and needs, and promotes development in areas
of auditory, language, social skills, creativity and more (also,
now available online in Spanish).
Source: Toys”R”Us
![end of article bullet]()
