6/25/25 - More Medicaid cuts, disabled veterans, and the accessibility of protest

Good afternoon ...

I took a day off yesterday to deal with a bunch of other life stuff. Today I've added two new U.S. "Take Action" items – on wheelchair repair and transportation – alongside the ongoing fight for Medicaid. Scroll down below to see them and click the banners to take action.

Now here are your three disability-related links for the midweek day ...

AAPD Strongly Condemns Senate Proposal That Slashes Medicaid and Threatens Disabled Lives

Jess Davidson, American Association of People with Disabilities - June 25, 2025

"The proposal guts funding for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), creates needless paperwork requirements that will push eligible individuals out of Medicaid, and imposes requirements that are proven to fail to improve employment and healthcare outcomes."

These threats to Medicaid have only intensified in recent days. And the whole thing may be over and done very soon. Anyone who has been thinking of speaking out to Members of Congress about this but haven't yet should do it now – probably today.

Supreme Court Rules Unanimously Against Time Limits on Combat-Related Disability Pay

Patricia Kime, Military.com - June 13, 2025

"The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday against the federal government in a class-action suit over combat-related special compensation, paving the way for an estimated 9,000 retired service members to receive thousands of dollars in retroactive pay"

I don't pay enough attention to the needs, priorities, and experiences of disabled veterans. It's one of the areas of thinking about disability that I have neglected. In addition to the struggle to obtain and maintain financial and medical benefits, what other unique issues and challenges to disabled veterans face? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.

I've Marched, Rallied, and Protested In My Wheelchair. But It's Rarely Accessible.

Emily Ladau, Words I Wheel By - June 18, 2025

"I wrote this in the hopes that if, for the sake of your mind or body's safety, or for the safety of others, you made the decision not to go to the No Kings protest—or, if you've ever worried about not going to a protest in the past, or if you might be uncertain in the future—maybe you'll feel less alone."

This piece made me feel better about not having attended the "No Kings" protest in my own town. I have participated in a few big disability protests in the past, including some where we were "taking up space" where authorities did not want us to be. I'm glad I did it every time. But I never felt particularly empowered or helpful, because my combination of disabilities made the whole process harder for me and less sustainable than it is for people you might assume at a glance would be less able to protest than me. I also share Emily's concern that today's political climate may be making "traditional" disability protest legally and physically dangerous in ways they have never been before. What it all amounts to for me is that I admire and value what direct-action protesters do – like those in ADAPT for instance. But what they do isn't a good fit for me. And that's okay, I think.

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