NorCal SCI to Roll on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on June 24-27

Since its inception in 2012, Roll on Capitol Hill (ROCH) has served as an annual rally to educate lawmakers about the needs of the spinal cord injury/disorder community and to train the next generation of advocates.  This year’s event, held June 24-27, couldn’t come at a more important time, with numerous threats looming over our community and NorCal SCI is proud to be represented by our very own Carl McGrew who will be there.

Carl McGrew

For people with disabilities, it hasn’t been the best couple of years to follow the national news. With attempts to weaken and dismantle the Affordable Care Act, threats of huge cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, and the House of Representatives passing H.R. 620, it can often feel like the tide is against us.

Yet, when you take a closer look at the issues most relevant to our community, there have been just as many recent wins as losses. Yes, Congress tried to repeal the ACA, but disability activists and protesters helped save it. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services put into place a permanent policy that exempts complex power wheelchair components, such as cushions and headrests, from Medicare’s competitive bidding program. The tax overhaul ultimately retained many essential disability programs that had been on the chopping block.

The policy priorities for the 2018 Roll on Capitol Hill are centered on three of the most pressing issues for people with disabilities — travel, healthcare and the ADA.

As an aside, this will be Carl's first cross-country trip since his SCI back in 2013.  He's excitedly nervous given everything he's heard and read about the treatment wheelchairs get once they're stored on the plane.  We'll be prepping him for the trip so that he can have the best outcome.  Look for a full report when Carl gets back from the trip.