DAAHR
Disability Advocates Advancing our Healthcare Rights (DAAHR)
DAAHR is a coalition of over 30 disability, elder, and health care organizations, with the Boston Center for Independent Living and Disability Policy Consortium serving as co-chairs. DAAHR’s mission is to promote policies that improve health care access and better outcomes for people with disabilities. DAAHR was formed in 2012, and much of the coalition’s work has focused on shaping One Care – the managed care program for people who are eligible for both MassHealth and Medicare. DAAHR strengthens the consumer voice, ensuring that people with disabilities have a primary role in decisions about the healthcare systems that impact their lives.
Some of DAAHR’s successes have included:
- Attaining the addition of an Independent Living Long-Term Services and Supports (IL-LTSS) coordinator to the care team to ensure that non-medical services are integrated with medical care.
- Advocating for increased funding for the One Care Ombudsman program, which helps One Care members resolve problems and get the services they need.
- Voicing concerns about One Care Plans’ ability to scale up quickly and still provide excellent and timely services, contributing to MassHealth’s decision to stop passive enrollment (individuals eligible for One Care are automatically enrolled unless they opt out) for the time being.
DAAHR is always looking for more people with disabilities and allies who want to help improve healthcare systems. You can get involved by speaking at a MassHealth public meeting or listening session, attending a DAAHR forum, telling us your healthcare story, and more. To get the latest news and action alerts from DAAHR, please sign up for the DAAHR email list and join our Facebook group. To learn more, please contact Bill Henning.
