ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY - PROBLEMS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES

Assistive technology (AT), defined as any device or product system that increases the physical functioning or independence of persons with disabilities, 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 disabled 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 Health 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 current funding alternatives for AT, and suggests possible short and long-range strategies to make AT more available for individuals with disabilities. (C) 1994 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation