Living Independently

AHLA will meet with ADAPT and other groups to comply with the ADA.

Anita Cameron protests at the Broadmoor

(COLORADO SPRINGS, August 30, 2012) Colorado ADAPT crashed the Hotel lobbyists Broadmoor Classic fundraiser to demand that the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) stop its campaign to ignore and delay compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. ADAPT activists in Colorado built on the work of activists across America this summer to finally bring the Hotel Lobby group to the table.

Colorado ADAPT set up an alternative “ADAPT Classic 2012” miniature golf tournament in front of the Broadmoor entrance on adjacent public property. Although the police were called, the Colorado Springs officer did not have any reason to stay because at the time ADAPT was not breaking the law in any way. The Broadmoor security however was intimidated by the constant chanting and street theater at the entrance to the exclusive resort.

“The action was awesome,” said Keith Percy of Boulder ADAPT. “The AHLA ultimately responded because we said we are not leaving until we get something concrete and something in writing. When you are on the right side of history you have more perseverance and confidence in yourself. When it is a Civil Rights issue you know the subject is bigger than you are.”

Colorado ADAPT negotiated with AHLA President and CEO Josheph McIneriney through the exclusive club’s security service to come to an agreement. The Hotel Lobbyist offered a meeting on September 11th with VP for government affairs, Kevin Maher, to precede a meeting with McIneriney. The AHLA letter states that they will discuss compliance will all aspects of the ADA including pool access that has been troubling many people with disabilities and other disability rights groups.

Kyle plays a round in the ADAPT Classic 2012 against discrimination

The U.S. Department of Justice issued a proposed rule that would require hotels with pools and other public pools to provide lifts or sloped entries to make them accessible to people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility disabilities. The rule was set to go into effect on March 15, 2012, giving these pool owners two years to install pool lifts. Instead of investing their resources in accommodating customers with disabilities, the Hotel lobby is raising money at the Broadmoor Classic to continue their campaign of legal delay and civil-rights sabotage.

“Thank you for talking with me about setting up a meeting to discuss the ADA pool lift concerns,” said Kevin Maher, the Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs for the AHLA in a written response to Colorado ADAPT. “I am particularly interested to hear about resources you mentioned that your organization may have to help the lodging industry comply with all ADA regulations.”

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Colorado ADAPT demands Governor Hickenlooper and CMS move to apply for the Community First Choice Option

(DENVER, January 13, 2012) Colorado ADAPT visited the Colorado Governor’s office and demanded Gov. Hickenlooper order the Department of Health Care Policy and Finance to begin now to work on getting the federal enhancement for the Community First Choice Option. ADAPT also went to the local Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) office to demand Jeff Hinson urge the federal agency to complete the final regulations that will allow Colorado to apply for Medicaid enhanced funding.

Colorado ADAPT meets with CMS

Contacting him in route to the CMS Baltimore office, Jeff Hinson agreed to give the message to Marilyn Tavenner the CMS Administrator today and the Governor, who was out of town, will be responding to ADAPT next Tuesday at 3:30, after speaking with the department over the holiday weekend.

“I promise you that I will stop by her office today and tell her,” said Mr. Hinson on the phone with Colorado ADAPT from Maryland, “and send her a note if she is not in.”

In Denver, Colorado ADAPT continued to meet with the CMS Regional Administrator about what they could do to ensure that the Community First Choice (CFC) Option did not miss Colorado. States that apply for the “enhanced match” will get more federal Medicaid funding. The Community First Choice Option is a program that was developed to help states reduce Medicaid spending by allowing citizens to choose to live or remain in their own home or the community rather than expensive institutions and nursing homes.

“Richard, you know we have never come to the department asking for money,” said Dawn Russell of ADAPT to the Associate Regional Administrator, Richard Allen; “we haven’t come to rob your bank, ADAPT always brings money and savings to the table.”

CFC is part of the Affordable Care Act and although some states like New York have already applied for the expanded funding, most states like Colorado are waiting for a final version of the CFC regulations before putting in their applications. ADAPT is asking the governor to start now and direct HCPF to begin to develop the implantation council that is part of the CFC regulations, and to prepare to apply for the funds when the final regulations are published.

Colorado ADAPT in the Governor's Office

“We saw what happened in 2006 when our state failed to apply for the Money Follows the Person grant,” said Dawn Russell. “Not only did we miss out on millions of federal dollars, but our state lagged behind in building the infrastructure to save millions. It wasn’t until last year that the feds opened the program again and Colorado got $22 million.  We are asking the governor to be proactive and create the implementation council. Colorado cannot afford to watch HCPF fail to apply again.”

ADAPT is also demanding that Jeff Hinson contact Marilyn Tavenner the new Administrator of CMS to get the CFC regulations finalized and to meet with ADAPT. The regulations were originally scheduled to be completed last October.

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