HEADs Up Act Reintroduced in 118th Congress

The Healthcare Extension and Accessibility for Developmentally Disabled and Underserved Populations (HEADs UP) Act, sponsored by Representatives Seth Moulton (D-MA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and Joseph Morelle (D-NY), was recently reintroduced in Congress. This bill would direct the Health Services and Resources Administration to designate people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) as a medically underserved population (MUP).

“Over 7 million people in the United States have an intellectual or developmental disability and they are often met with hardship when it comes to meeting their complex medical needs,” said Representative Fitzpatrick. “The bipartisan Healthcare Extension and Accessibility for Developmentally Disabled and Underserved Population (HEADs UP) Act will remove barriers to care that exist for the millions of Americans within the IDD community so that they can lead healthy lives.”

ANCOR supports the MUP designation, as it gives people with I/DD new access to primary care and specialty services, and it authorizes improved reimbursement rates for providers who support people with I/DD.