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Over the past two decades, 5,329 patients in the United States have utilized medical aid-in-dying laws, while at least 8,451 patients received a prescription, according to the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. (Adobe Stock)

MA could become 11th state with medical aid-in-dying law

Lawmakers in Massachusetts are considering legislation to allow medical aid in dying as an option for mentally capable, terminally ill adults…

States are increasingly dropping high school standardized exit exams in favor of alternative assessment methods. In 2014, 24 states required students to pass a standardized test to receive their diploma. Now, only eight maintain the requirement. (Adobe Stock)

MA ballot measure would end MCAS graduation requirement

Massachusetts voters could face a possible ballot measure this November to end the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System graduation requiremen…

Massachusetts residents can call the MassHealth Service Center to speak with a counselor and determine if they qualify for a dual-eligible special-needs plan at 800-841-2900. (Adobe Stock)<br />

MA seniors encouraged to take advantage of dual-use special needs plans

Health care advocates in Massachusetts said special health care plans are available for seniors and people with disabilities to help ensure they get t…

Consumer advocates say the power-wheelchair market is dominated by two national suppliers, both of which are owned by private equity firms, able to increase profits by limiting what they spend on technicians and repairs. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

MA Lawmakers Urged to Strengthen Wheelchair Warranty Protections

Advocates for people with disabilities say lawmakers in the Commonwealth must strengthen wheelchair warranty protections to ensure wheelchair users ar…

Numotion and National Seating and Mobility are the two largest wheelchair manufacturers in the U.S., and critics say a lack of competition can lead to slow repairs. (rudolfgeiger/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups: Wheelchair Repair Process Needs Improvements

Advocates for people with disabilities are urging the Massachusetts General Court to pass what is known as the Wheelchair Warranty bill, to improve …

Since 1786, the Daily Hampshire Gazette has been printed in Northampton, Mass. (Dougtone/Creative Commons)

One of Oldest U.S. Papers May Lose Printing House in Northampton

NORTHAMPTION, Mass. -- The company Newspapers of New England recently announced it plans to lay off all the workers at its printing house in …

Bay Staters with disabilities are on the front lines this week in battles to preserve critical health coverage both in Massachusetts and Congress. (Boston Center for Independent Living)

Battles in Boston and D.C. to Protect Health Coverage

BOSTON – Bay Staters with disabilities are fighting battles on two fronts this week, to protest possible budget cuts and protect critical …

Proposed SNAP food assistance cuts are likely to hit low-income seniors and people with disabilities hardest. (USDA)

Proposed SNAP Cuts Put MA Seniors, People with Disabilities in Crosshairs

BOSTON – President Donald Trump wants to take a $193 billion slice out of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program over the next 10…

On Veteran's Day, Bay Staters who served our country are hoping President-Elect Donald Trump honors the promises he made to help vets. (New England Paralyzed Veterans of America)

New England Veterans Want Trump to Honor His Pledge

BOSTON – There are about 3,000 paralyzed veterans in New England and today, on Veteran's Day, a local veterans' advocacy group said now that …

Massachusetts' high school graduation rate is just over 86 percent, but only 69 percent for students with disabilities. (Boston Public Schools)

MA Could Do More to Help Special-Needs Students Graduate

BOSTON - It's graduation time, and the Commonwealth is doing better than average in terms of high school graduation rates except in one major area…

Police should be called to Peck School in Holyoke less often as the result of a settlement with the school district that also calls for reducing the use of restraints on students with disabilities. (Jeff Joniec)

Goal: Fewer Restraints, Cop Calls at Holyoke School

HOLYOKE, Mass. - It is an agreement that should mean fewer students ending up in restraints and fewer cops being called to respond to discipline …

Para Educator Nancy Burke (r.) with student Taylor Warren. Courtesy: Massachusetts Teachers Association

National Bammy Award for Massachusetts Educator

BOSTON - A Massachusetts educator won national recognition this week for a garden project that enables high school students in wheelchairs to do some …

PHOTO: Special enrollment is still available for thousands in the Bay State to get care under the Affordable Care Act, but they need to act soon. Courtesy: Health Care For All

Thousands in MA Can Still Get Covered – Big Push in Hispanic Communities

BOSTON - It's true the door shut on the second open enrollment period for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, but advocates say there are …

PHOTO: At an event in Framingham, a new effort was launched this week to find and enroll Massachusetts school kids in health insurance plans. The Back to School campaign is targeting communities where English is a second language. Photo courtesy of Health Care for All.

Kicking Off Campaign to Cover Kids in Commonwealth

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - It's back-to-school time for kids in the Commonwealth - and time for an effort by health-care advocates to find those children …

PHOTO: Massachusetts gets only a C in a report analyzing how each state in the union supports � or doesn�t support � new parents in terms of leave time and job protection. The study is timed for the White House Summit on Working Families. Photo credit: National Partnership for Women and Families.

MA Gets a C in Helping Parents in the Workplace

BOSTON – Massachusetts gets just a C in a report analyzing how each state supports – or doesn't support – new parents in terms of su…

PHOTO: The Brockton Neighborhood Health Center is one of 35 such centers to receive a total of $3,448,106 in federal money to reach out to and enroll uninsured and under-insured Commonwealth residents.

MA Health Centers Get $3.4 Million to Reach Out To More Patients

BOSTON - The federal government is giving 35 community health centers in the Commonwealth a total of more than $3.4 million to better reach uninsured …

PHOTO: Making a stay in the hospital � or a visit � a better experience for patients and their families is the focus of a first-ever meeting today between some 50 Massachusetts hospitals and 160 members of Patient and Family Advisory Councils, or P-FACs. Members of the PFAC of UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester are participating. Photo courtesy UMass Memorial

The “Hospital Care Experience” – What Patients and Families Say

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. – Making a stay in the hospital – or a visit – a better experience for patients and their families is the focus …

PHOTO: Many struggling Americans face an impossible choice between paying for food or paying for energy.

Defending “Heat & Eat” in Massachusetts

BOSTON - Many struggling Americans face an impossible choice between paying for food or paying for energy, and some in Washington are considering …

In Home of First Thanksgiving, Fighting Food Insecurity

BOSTON - in the home of the first Thanksgiving, community groups and charities traditionally serve holiday dinners. But what about the rest of the …

Aline Travers and Denise Moran of HCFA providing information about health care options to small businesses and individuals at the BRAZIL EXPO USA in September. Courtesy: HCFA

Going Forward: Obamacare and MA Small Businesses

BOSTON - In the wake of President Obama's re-election, the signature achievement of his first term is safe from threats of repeal. The Affordable …

The “R-Word” and Ann Coulter – Raising Consciousness?

BOSTON - When conservative commentator Ann Coulter used the word "retard" to describe President Obama in the final days of the campaign, it sparked …

PHOTO: The David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University, site of the second 2012 presidential debate. Courtesy Hofstra University

NE Advocates Hope Next Debate Keeps Focus on Dueling Medicare Plans

BOSTON - Health care was the subject of heated exchanges in the vice presidential debate, and advocates in New England and the nation are hoping both …

PHOTO: Tufts School of Medicine students in an Operation House Call classroom session this month. Courtesy OHC.

What They Don't Teach (Enough) in Med School: Disability Awareness

BOSTON - Medical students study a lot, but one thing frequently missing from their training is how to interact with patients who have intellectual or …

PHOTO: All across the nation the rising health care costs is a challenge for many.

Happy Birthday, Medicare

BOSTON - Happy Birthday, Medicare! On July 30, 1965, President Johnson signed into law the bill providing low-cost hospitalization and medical …

Health Insurance for “Thousands” of Bay Staters Okayed by Supremes

BOSTON - In a victory for the Obama administration's healthcare reform efforts, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld most parts of the Affordable Care Act …

Stitching Together a Health Cost Containment Law

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Senate worked Thursday on a bill aimed at slowing the spiraling costs of health care. The progress on addressing dozens of …

Supporters Push for Flexibility in Funding for Disabilities

BOSTON - Families of Bay Staters who have intellectual and developmental disabilities are cheering legislation moving through the legislature…

MA Bill Aimed at Getting a Life

BOSTON - Advocates for people with intellectual challenges are supporting a measure currently making its way through the Massachusetts Legislature…

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Get through Irene

BOSTON - Riding out Hurricane Irene in New England was an even greater challenge for those with physical, medical, sensory or cognitive disabilities…

Seniors to Bear Brunt of GOP Budget Plan?

BOSTON - When Congress returns from its spring break, proposals will be debated regarding proposed cuts and changes to Medicare and Medicaid…

ADA Turns 20: How Far Has The Bay State Come?

BOSTON - The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrates birthday number 20 today. The sweeping civil rights law prohibits discrimination in …

Stroke – What Everyone Should Know

BOSTON - It's called the silent killer; only heart disease and cancer kill more Americans than does stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that …

Environmental Health Risks: Not Just Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A recent report delivered to President Obama by a special panel appointed by President Bush warned that the risk of cancer from …

Do You Hear What I Hear? Closed Captioning Arrives on the Internet

BOSTON - The explosion of video and audio on the Internet has, for the most part, left the deaf community behind in Massachusetts and elsewhere…

Stepping Over a Dollar to Pick up a Dime? MA Rally Against Budget Cuts

Boston, MA – Bay State legislators deciding where the budget ax should fall are hearing a loud and clear “not any more here” from …

“Question 1” Decision Day

Boston, MA – The idea of lowering income taxes while the economy is sour sounds like a win-win on the surface. But the "back story" of what …

Help Needed: Workers with Disabilities Seeking Jobs in MA

Natick, MA – October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to remember that people with disabilities struggle to find …

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MA: Disabilities