As we mourn the loss of Senator Ted Kennedy this morning, we should remember him as a champion of people with disabilities. He fought, with the Family Opportunity Act In 2001, Senator Kennedy co-sponsored, along with Senator Grassley, an amendment to create a reserve fund for the Family Opportunity Act, to provide states with the opportunity to expand Medicaid coverage to children with special needs, allowing low- and middle-income families with special needs children the opportunity to purchase coverage under the Medicaid program. For the vast majority of children with disabilities, Medicaid is the only health insurance program offering sufficient benefits to cover the required care, such as physical therapy and medical equipment. The Family Opportunity Act is modeled after the successful Work Incentives Improvement Act sponsored by Kennedy, which allowed adults with disabilities to return to work without the risk of losing health care coverage. Kennedy introduced the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990. The bill was designed to prohibit employers from discriminating in job hiring and in the workplace against people who had a disability.
A selection of articles:
Edward Kennedy, Senate Stalwart, Dies
Ted Kennedy Dies at 77 After Cancer Battle
Ted Kennedy: A Lifetime of Public Service
The Death of Ted Kennedy: The Brother Who Mattered Most
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