The onslaught of adverse disability decisions made by elected representatives and their executive appointees is disastrous for all those affected. If fully implemented, thousands and in some cases millions, of people with disabilities will lose Medicaid coverage for health care and long-term nursing home care; be relegated to living in segregated settings instead of at home with community based services; and be forced to fly without adequate protection of themselves or their mobility equipment. In other words, being disabled in America will lead to second-class citizen status!
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Surely there is something we can do. Legislative action, lawsuits and protests can be effective in neutralizing or reversing flawed decisions. And these should continue. But what if we could stop hostile decisions from happening in the first place? I think we can, but only if we understand why so many of these decision-makers are reverting to discriminatory practices discarded decades ago.
After trying to fathom a reason for this slew of adverse decisions, I have come to this conclusion. Too many people in power positions lack the essential leadership characteristics of compassion, fairness, respect, and morality. They have rejected God’s call to “learn to do right; seek justice; and help the oppressed.” Isaiah 1:17 (New Living Translation). The results of a July 2024 poll of registered voters, commissioned by Center-Forward, revealed that the majority of voters no longer prioritize these character traits and don’t look for them when choosing a candidate to support. The voters rated the candidate qualities of compassion at 11%, fairness at 17%, respect at 23%, and being moral at 27%. No wonder so many decisions by those elected and appointed show a lack of empathy, justice, favor, and ethics.
With all this in mind, I say we should use the upcoming general election on November 3rd to remove from office those who make decisions with little or no regard for the well-being of people with disabilities. When choosing alternative candidates, let’s look beyond party affiliation, campaign promises, and experience and add good character as a critical criteria for earning our vote.
The gravity of the current character deficit is shown in the following sampling of recent adverse disability decisions in the United States Congress, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Transportation (DOT). Time and space does not allow me to include other examples, but feel free to use the comment section to add to the list of adverse and discriminatory decisions.
Congress is responsible for passage of the July 4, 2025, Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) that is rife with decisions detrimental to people with disabilities. For instance, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) calculated $911 billion in Medicaid cuts through 2034! A month later, I received an astonishing “Myth vs Fact: Medicaid” email from my Congressman. He claimed that (1) the BBB was crafted to strengthen—not cut—Medicaid for the millions of Americans who need it most; (2) “Medicaid will still be available for . . . individuals with disabilities;” and (3) “this isn’t about denying care—it’s about reinforcing Medicaid’s effectiveness and purpose.” He did not answer my reply email contradicting his claims and gave no basis for asserting that Medicaid cuts were a myth.
Supporters of the historic Medicaid cuts in the BBB contended they were necessary to reduce waste, fraud and abuse. But what about the neglect, abuse and death imposed on Medicaid recipients with disabilities? More than 35% of people with disabilities have Medicaid; this translates to 15 million people! According to KFF—a nonprofit focused on health policy research and polling—Medicaid pays for most of the nursing home bill for more than 60% of the 1.2 million people residing in nursing homes.
Tied to the BBB cuts is action taken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In 2024, CMS finalized regulations it classified as “essential” to address chronic staffing shortages in the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes. CMS has now postponed the effective date from the original five years of May 2029 to ten years in October 2034.
After 25 years of enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandate requiring services to be provided in the most integrated setting appropriate, the DOJ is doing an about face. The agency is also turning away from defending the 1999 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. which affirmed the right of people with disabilities to receive home and community based services instead of being forced into institutions. This harmful change in direction was announced on June 18, 2026 in an alarming legal opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel. The opinion challenges the application of the integration mandate on states and the Executive branch of the federal government.
Even though the DOJ has no authority to overrule the ADA or Olmstead, it is choosing not to enforce it. As a result, the integration mandate becomes an empty promise. This violation is compounded by the BBB’s hatchet taken to federal Medicaid which is a major source of funding for Home and Community Services Based Services.
The DOT has twice delayed enforcement of key provisions in the Wheelchair Rule in 14 CFR Part 382, “Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers With Disabilities Using Wheelchairs.” Initially enforcement was to begin on January 16, 2025, then delayed until December 31, 2026 and further delayed until April 30, 2027. The targeted sections relate to airline liability for mishandled wheelchairs (14 CFR §§382.125(e) & 382.130(a)), refresher training frequency (382.141(a)(6)), pre-departure notifications (14 CFR 381.125(e)), and fare difference reimbursements due to a wheelchair or scooter not fitting in the cabin or cargo compartment (382.132).
The repeated delays defy the stated purpose of the final rule, published on December 17, 2024, to increase access to safe and dignified air travel for individuals with disabilities. The DOT has recognized that air travel can be especially difficult for individuals who use wheelchairs or scooters and that damaged and delayed personal wheelchairs and assistive devices and untimely and unsafe assistance provided by airlines can lead to serious life disruptions. Nonetheless, the DOT has walked away from their commitment to ensure that our air transportation system is safe and accessible for all.
There’s no debate that we live in troubling times, but hand wringing takes us nowhere. Let’s be proactive! Among other things, vote character on November 3rd and pray for voters to agree on representatives who weigh their decisions with compassion, fairness, respect, and morality.
Image credit: Radomír Šalda from Pixabay, May 9, 2020. https://pixabay.com/photos/axe-wood-cutting-lumberjack-5151655/
For related posts by Angela Muir Van Etten, go to:
- Mobility Scooter Refused Boarding. April 1, 2026. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/mobility-scooter-refused-boarding/
- Relief In Sight for Anguished Airline Passengers with Wheelchairs. March 4, 2024. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/relief-in-sight-for-anguished-airline-passengers-with-wheelchairs/
For website resources that informed this post go to: https://angelamuirvanetten.com/resources/.