One Doctor's Quest to Change Healthcare for Individuals with Disabilities
As adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities strive to live more freely and fully than ever before, many of America’s doctors, hospitals and insurers are getting in the way. We get an inside look at one doctor’s quest to improve health care for people with conditions like Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism.
The podcast gives an overview of previous ADA legislation, the Olmstead Act, that created the least restrictive living environment for those with disabilities and de-institutionalized hundreds of thousands of individuals. But the healthcase system wasn't ready for this and the results have left much to be desited.
Since 1999, the number of people in large, state-run facilities has plummeted from nearly 200,000 in the 1960s to below 20,000 today. People with Down syndrome now live close to 60 years on average, compared to just 26 years in 1950.
But the freedom to live fuller and healthier lives remains elusive for many. One key culprit is the U.S. health care system.
