My oldest son Cole was born with that extra 21st chromosome known as Down syndrome, and like so many in the disability community, I was told by the doctors not to expect too much. As his mom, I’m glad to say they couldn’t have been more wrong. 

When we put limits on people and instead of setting them up for success, we all lose something, and Cole helps remind me every day that the disability community is full of potential just waiting to be unleashed. I’ve been so proud to lead the bipartisan, bicameral Down Syndrome Task Force and pass legislation like the ABLE Act to help empower those with disabilities and expand their opportunities for a better life. 

We’ve made amazing progress, but there are still barriers. Metrics in our health care system called quality adjusted life years (QALY) openly discriminate against people with chronic illnesses and disabilities when determining both access to health care and the price these individuals pay.

The use of QALYs sends the message that the life of someone living with a disability doesn’t matter as much as a “healthy” person’s life. That’s why I led the Protecting Health Care For All Patients Act (H.R. 485) to ban federal health care bureaucracies like Medicaid and the VA from devaluing the lives of people living with disabilities. 

This bill, which was recently passed by the House of Representatives, will be life changing for millions of Americans living with a disability or chronic illness and their family. Together, we can build on this progress and show the world that nobody is bound by their disability, chronic illness, or the conditions of their birth.
Click here to read the Protecting Health Care For All Patients Act.