Bl. Oday et Pj. Corcoran, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY - PROBLEMS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 75(10), 1994, pp. 1165-1169
Assistive technology (AT), defined as any device or product system tha
t increases the physical functioning or independence of persons with d
isabilities, is transforming the way disabled Americans live and work.
Numerous studies show increases in independence, employment, and life
satisfaction; yet, the acquisition of AT presents many problems for d
isabled persons, such as lack of funds to purchase AT, no centralized
information and evaluation system, fraud and abuse by some providers,
and denials of needed equipment by third-party payers. The proposed He
alth Security Act could provide a potential mechanism to address these
problems, but whether AT should be covered under the Act has received
little national attention. In this article we document the need and c
urrent funding alternatives for AT, and suggests possible short and lo
ng-range strategies to make AT more available for individuals with dis
abilities. (C) 1994 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicin
e and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation