Carnival of MS Bloggers #68

Welcome to the Carnival of MS Bloggers, a bi-weekly compendium of thoughts and experiences shared by those living with multiple sclerosis.

Takes A Village and the Americans with Disabilities Act

It takes a village…..or at least it’s better that way
by Michael Gerber

There are always at least two ways to do everything. Right or wrong. Good or bad. Alone or with others.

I like to do things with others. In fact, I am certain that my life is better because of all the people in it. I can say with certainty that as a person with a disability, my life is also easier because of all the people in it.

If I need help, someone is there to help. If I need someone to talk to, someone is there to listen. If I need a laugh, someone is there to play with or share a joke. When I am there to listen to someone else, than I know that I am of value to another person.

Having people in your life and being involved with others is a great reminder that you are alive and worthwhile. It can also help one forget about their troubles for awhile and that is always a good thing.

I recently read an article about isolation (InsideMS /Healthy Living / Isolation) that was written by my friend Alison Dale. It turns out that isolation is a pretty big problem in our MS community and is often a problem for anyone living with a chronic condition. I am guessing that it is a problem for many people without a chronic condition as well. (Isolation can lead to depression and that can be a serious problem. If you or someone you know suffers from depression, please get help.)

There are many reasons why and how a person becomes isolated. Some may have to do with physical limitations or disability. Some with fatigue and sometimes it is just the belief that no one understands or cares. Whatever the reason, isolation means being alone and being alone is no way too spend all of your time.

If you are alone and don’t want to be, do something about it. Call a friend and invite them over. Go to church or temple and find ways to get involved there. Join a club or service organization. Volunteer. There are hundreds of ways to get involved with others and millions of nice, caring people in the world. Finding them is not difficult. It just requires a little initiative.

If you are not a likable person, become one. Learn to ask questions of and about others and listen to their answers. Practice gratitude. Say hello to strangers and learn to smile. You will get back what you put out and will soon find that you have created your own community.

If you are not alone, go find someone who is. Make a difference in someone else’s life. You will both be glad that you did.

Life is better when you have people to share it with. For some people that may mean marriage or family. For others, it may mean friends or belonging to a group.

Having a full, rich, meaningful life requires people to be in it. In my case, it takes (or at least I have) a village.

Participate. Make a difference. Live a life that matters.

MS Activists Attend White House Event Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
by I'm an MS Activist

MS Activists Attending the White House ADA 20th Anniversary Celebration (left to right): Bill MacNally of Minnesota, Patrick Vanderpool of New York, Channing Barker of Oklahoma, and Jackie Jackson of New Jersey

(left to right) MS activists Channing Barker of Oklahoma, Patrick Vanderpool of New York, Shawn O'Neail, Jackie Jackson of New Jersey, Bill MacNally of Minnesota, and Shahieda DaSilva of New Jersey

On July 26, five MS activists from around the country were invited to the White House to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being signed into law. The ADA established a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities, guaranteeing equal opportunity for individuals living with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

The invited MS activists were able to hear President Obama in his remarks give due credit to the grassroots origin of the historic law, stating that “It began when Americans no longer saw their own disabilities as a barrier to their success, and set out to tear down the physical and social barriers that were.” Click here to view the full video or read the transcripts of the ceremony.

President Obama also shared his personal experience and the strength of First Lady Michelle Obama’s father, who was diagnosed with MS yet never missed a day of work and kept moving forward (viewable at approximately minute 33 of the full video). Ongoing efforts to ensure that the ADA realizes its full potential were also highlighted. These efforts include newly issued regulations from the Department of Justice protecting disability-based discrimination and requiring all new buildings to be compliant with 2010 accessibility standards; upcoming rules that will promote the accessibility of websites; and the launch of the Year of Community Living initiative to uphold the principles of the Olmstead court decision and community-based care.

The celebration ceremony concluded with President Obama signing an Executive Order that establishes the federal government as a model employer of individuals living with disabilities—with the goals of better recruitment, training, and retention.

President Obama at the ADA 20th Anniversary Celebration

MS activists Channing Barker and Patrick Vanderpool with Senator Tom Harkin (IA)

20 Years on, What Has the Americans for Disability Act Done for Me? 

by Trevis Gleason

I’m not going to lie to you. I began writing this blog over the weekend and it was supposed to be posted on Monday. I’ve had a very difficult time trying to find the right angle to address this week’s 20th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

There can be no doubt that the law has changed the very face of cities in which I’ve lived, sites I’ve frequented, and constructions projects with which I’ve been involved. I have also seen how non-compliance can adversely affect people more severely impacted with mobility issues than myself.

How, though, have the pages of this important legislation, now two decades old, had an impact on me?

I remember living in New England back in the 1980s, when our nephew would visit in his wheelchair, and how difficult old buildings and curbs without cut-outs could be to navigate. We learned to look at things with a whole new eye, a “less-able” eye (I should thank Jason for that opportunity. It has paid dividends on the dividends!).

I have also seen utter indigence on the part of many when shortcomings are pointed out in construction plans or when costly accommodations must be made – hell, they needn’t even be costly to ruffle some feathers.

I’ve only ever worked for one company that would have been considered large enough (some subsidiaries are even designed to be too small) to be required to comply with ADA regulations.

At this point in this piece, I should point out that I haven’t really had much need for the accommodations provided in ADA. Quite frankly, the days that I’m in that much need, I’m not likely to leave the house anyway…

But I do acknowledge that many things I have benefited from wouldn’t have been there were it not for the ADA, even if they’re not actually in the regulations.

Would cities really have concentrated so much on para-transit? Would everyone else in my community give off to the person who parks in a disabled space without sticker or need? Would the community even see as many people using walkers and scooters and chairs were it not for a 20-year old law which has made it easier for them to live a life out in the town?

I don’t know, I don’t really know, how my life has been directly impacted by ADA. Possibly many of you feel the same way, as a number of us have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis far fewer than 20 years.

Maybe that’s the beauty of such a law; it has changed the very fabric of our country to the point where all of the changes begin to feel like the norm.

As we take a few moments to reflect on a law that (know it or not) has changed the country for all of us, I’d like to know how the ADA has changed your community, your life… your life with MS.

Wishing you and your family the best of health.
Cheers,
Trevis

This concludes the 68th edition of the Carnival.

The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on August 12, 2010. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, August 10, 2010.

Thank you.

Comments for this post.

Revising Social Security Disability Laws to Benefit Those with MS

I received a request from Stuart of Stu's Views and MS-Related News to post the following message. I believe this is an important issue for those of us with MS whether we anticipate needing the protections of Social Security Disability Laws in the near future or not.

HOW YOU CAN HELP MAKE OUR NATION'S DISABILITY LAWS FAIRER FOR THOSE WITH MS

A Message from Bob - Concerning Social Security Reform
( Bob is the gentleman who has been trying to help all in need of Social Security reform) See a previous article of what he has been doing:
August 27, '07: Fighting for disability rights in America
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Hi Stuart:
Could you post this?
Bob
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Please consider sending a quick email to your senators by cutting and pasting the following:

Dear Senator ___________: (Find your senators at http://www.senate.gov/ )

During the past year, Stu's Views and M.S. Related News has helped gather over 6,000 signatures from individuals afflicted with multiple sclerosis, as well as from physicians, hospital administrators, pharmaceutical company executives, celebrities, social security administration and other federal employees, as well as major chronic illness advocacy organizations, including United Spinal, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and several others, to revise our nation's Social Security Disability programs to more adequately address the unique circumstances and challenges of MS victims.
www.acceleratedcure.org/petition

Recent testimony before congress included recommendations to eliminate the five-year limitation on "expedited reinstatement" for disability recipients with serious chronically disabling conditions, such as MS, who desire to attempt to return to work should their condition permit. This is extremely important as no one can predict the severity and course of a disease such as MS.

Many individuals who receive SSI/SSDI would welcome the opportunity to resume working if they knew that federal assistance would resume expediently should their condition worsen in the future. Under the current program, automatic resumption of benefits only continues within five years of disability approval. Beyond that timeframe, individuals who do return to work and then get ill again must apply for SSDI/SSI all over again. This is unfairly restrictive for those who suffer from MS and other chronic illnesses.

A formal presentation made to the House Ways and Means Committee by Terry Moakley, Vice President for Public Affairs of the United Spinal Association to the House Ways and Means Committee on January 16, 2008 included a key recommendation to eliminate the five-year limitation for expedited reinstatement of disability benefits for chronically disabled individuals who desire to work as they are able, without jeopardizing their benefits should their condition worsen in the future.

The following excerpt of the testimony specifically addresses a key area of necessary reform...
_______________________________________________
Allow ongoing presumptive re-entitlement for those able to work, but who have continuing disabilities – Continued Attachment. (Title II and SSI). We recommend that Title II and SSI disability beneficiaries have a “continued attachment” to the programs as long as their impairments last, even if they do not receive cash benefits because of their work earnings. Beneficiaries of the programs who are sometimes able and other times unable to be employed should have continued attachment to the cash and medical benefits that can be activated with a simple and expedited procedure that is as “seamless” as possible. Many beneficiaries fear working to their full potential because it might cause a permanent loss of cash and/or medical benefits. This is a particular concern for beneficiaries who (a) have relapsing/remitting conditions such as mental illness or many chronic illnesses or (b) need accommodations that may be available in one employment setting, but difficult to obtain in the future. The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act partially addressed this problem by allowing a limited “expedited reinstatement” to benefits, but this is not a complete solution since it is available for only 60 months from termination of cash benefits.The existing expedited reinstatement program could be improved by making the following statutory changes: (1) Eliminate the 60-month time limit; (2) Provide provisional cash and medical benefits until SSA processes the request for reinstatement (current rules limit provisional benefits to six months); (3) Ensure that both cash and medical benefits are promptly reinstated once SSA has approved the reinstatement; (4) Explicitly recognize that people may use expedited reinstatement repeatedly; and (5) Provide that beneficiaries are eligible for expedited reinstatement if they are unable to engage in SGA when they are no longer working.
_______________________________________________

In short, this is an important first step in revising our nation's SSDI/SSI programs to more adequately address the unique circumstances of those battling MS and other serious chronic illnesses.

Here is the link to the entire testimony.

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=6764

Please consider how you can use your strong reputation and influence to ensure that the House and Senate will work together to revise SSDI/SSI laws that will improve the security of over 400,000 Americans whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by multiple sclerosis.

Thank you, in advance, for your help and personal involvement in this vitally important issue.

Sincerely,

(Insert your signature and address here)


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To all MS Bloggers and Health Policy Bloggers reading this, you are encouraged to copy and post this message on your blog as well. We need to get the message out and sometimes grassroots movements can be powerful. Thank You.

Who Needs to Know?

The NYT has a brief article today - I'm Ill, but Who Really Needs to Know?
- which touches on the questions we have each asked regarding telling others about our MS, or any other chronic illness for that matter.

The article itself is part book review - Richard Cohen's 'Strong at the Broken Places' - and part employee advice regarding Americans with Disabilities Act. An excerpt...

"An excellent resource for workers facing this choice, she said, is the Job Accommodation Network, a service of the federal Department of Labor. Most questions on its site, she said, come from workers, not management, and “they are looking for suggestions on how to do adjust their work without bringing it to the attention of their bosses,” she said. They buy themselves custom footstools and wrist-rests, and sneak off to restrooms to take medications. To hide their condition on the worst days, they call in sick, giving a reason other than their chronic illness."

As we've discussed here before - Who do you tell, when do you tell, and why do you tell others you have MS? - the choice is a personal one and one which needs not be rushed.

So if you are in a position to consider the pros/cons of disclosing your disabilities, the Job Accommodation Network has a wealth of information.

Go check it out and see if the Americans with Disabilities Act offers the protection you need for your situation.

Who do you tell, when do you tell, and why do you tell others you have MS?

Multiple Sclerosis is a mysterious disease.

The cause is still unknown although there are some 'autoimmune' theories. The progression of the disease is unknown for an individual patient.

What happens to one patient does not happen to all patients.

The impact of MS on your life is unknown at the time of diagnosis. The impact of MS on your relationships and ability to protect your financial security is feared by most patients at the time of diagnosis.

Fear may be the one thing which uniformly affects MS patients.

So with all of the mystery, the vast unknowns, and the looming fears, multiple sclerosis remains a disease not well understood by those unaffected and not well represented by those affected.

"You don't get MS until you get MS," so the saying goes.

In a very real way, MS can be an invisible disease without a public face; and with the use of the recent disease-modifying drugs, fewer MS patients end up in a wheelchair or severely disabled. However, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is working to put a face on MS through FaceofMS.org.
[I have not put my face or story on their wall, but I should.]

Fear of the future + fear of repercussions

= Silence about the disease

So to our questions:

The First String Players:

Who do you tell?

Certainly those closest to you should know - your immediate family - your fiance - your other doctors - a trusted friend??!!!

When do you tell?

Perhaps after the diagnosis is confirmed - at your next (non-neurologist) doctor's appointment in the 'any changes since our last visit' time - and for children, when you feel it can be understood without too much fear - and most importantly when you are ready!

To help children, the National MS Society publishes Keep S'Myelin, a colorful newsletter filled with stories, interviews, games and activities that highlight a variety of topics about MS. The Society also offers an interactive version of Keep S'Myelin online. Go check it out.

Why should you tell?

As humans, we each have a deep need to be known, to be liked and to be loved for who we really are.....a need often not satisfied. The ability to be yourself, to be genuine, to be unguarded and not to have to play a role is one of the most treasured gifts you can award yourself. Although this type of openness and understanding can be lacking even between husband and wife or parent and child, those are the very relationships where the need to be truly known is the most intense.

When one family member has MS, the family lives with MS. Engaging members of the family in sharing household burdens is an absolute must, ie. children can take more responsibility for laundry or preparing food. An appreciation of the physical and emotional issues which the MS patient may be experiencing is necessary in approaching this disease together.

One goal. Many hands. Share the Burden.

Having good friends who know about your MS can be essential. A support group of people who share similar concerns, or peer counselors (kinda like some of the friendly MS bloggers around here) can provide relief, understanding, and direction.

The Second String Players:

Who do you tell?

Friends, co-workers, or maybe your boss. But keep in mind that once the 'secret' is told, it is impossible to un-tell it.

Consider this, if you wish to encourage co-workers to walk with you in the MS Walk (or with Team Brass & Ivory), it is not necessary to reveal that you are the one with MS. If people ask, you can always say that you have a very dear friend who has MS and you are doing this for him/her.

When do you tell?

Only when you are ready and prepared!!

If your MS has not created any limitations for you, you may decide to say nothing at work. But if you feel confident that disclosure will not be used against you, and that telling your boss and co-workers would be better for you than remaining silent, then you should tell.

Why do you tell?

Before disclosing your MS, you should weigh carefully what your disclosure will be. An employee (or job applicant) does not have to give a diagnosis. It is acceptable to describe your problems as being due to “a medical condition.”

If your job performance is threatened by your symptoms—for example, if you need time for a nap, or a workspace near the bathroom—then you need to seek an accommodation. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), most employees are guaranteed workplace adjustments, as long as the accommodations don’t present an “undue hardship” for the employer.

Be aware that ADA protections apply only when the employee discloses disability-related problems on the job. With or without full disclosure, the employee has to discuss the problems in order to obtain accommodations. It is up to you, the employee, to find out with whom to meet for this discussion and to request a meeting. You must be ready to suggest the possible solutions as well. Be prepared!

The Out-Fielders:

Who do you tell?

The lady next to you in the checkout line at the grocer's? Other parents at your child's school? How about the World?

Why do you tell?

Perhaps you wish to lift the veil shrouding the vague image of a person living with MS. Perhaps you seek to become an MS advocate and to help newly-diagnosed patients who need support and comraderie. Perhaps you just don't like keeping 'secrets' and think nothing of sharing information with others. Maybe you fear not being known for what makes you...you?

After I was finally diagnosed in October 2005, one of the first things I did was to send a newsletter to my students' families explaining the diagnosis and reassuring them that I would continue to teach as usual although I might need more time off. Many of these families have known me long enough to know that something was going on with me. I am not one to cancel things at the last minute and due to overwhelming fatigue, emotions, and not fully recovered from the last relapse, I was doing just that. The response I received was both touching and enlightening.

1. I discovered that the father of one of my horn students has MS, takes Betaseron, is blind in one eye, and has been living MS for over 20 years.

2. One father told me how brave I was to reveal my diagnosis. He has a connective tissue disorder and has not told his co-workers though he does need to be cautious with his environment at times. He invited me to participate in a monthly support group at his church for persons living with a chronic illness.

3. One mother told her children that I was 'sick' and has them pray for me every night, but she didn't tell them that I have MS. They only knew that I was 'sick.' She didn't want to frighten or worry them.

4. One dear mother was tearful when she gave me a letter written to myself and the flute teacher of my piano student. The flute teacher (also a band director) has MS and uses a scooter named 'Red Ruby' to navigate the long halls at school. This mother was sad that two of the treasured people in her life had to fight this terrible disease. I ended up consoling her and then contacting the other teacher. She was nice to speak with.

But I did not tell my fellow musicians for fear of prejudice. When I needed a rigged-up strap to hold my horn when my left arm was too weak, I claimed some 'nerve problem' when asked about it. When I had just completed a round of IV Solumedrol and had to play an orchestra fundraiser, I 'hid out' on 4th horn and basically went through the motions.

After a year or so I became comfortable enough to reveal my MS to a few hornplayers while playing a concert series at the National Gallery of Art. Unfortunately, one of the players was someone who also played with the Fairfax Symphony (one of the groups I had performed with for over 6 seasons), I haven't been called to play with them for 2 years now.

When do you tell?

Think carefully...when you are ready?!!

When you are able to take MS in stride and accept it as being part of your life, for good or ill, then you may be better prepared to reveal your 'secret.'

But most definitely, if you are applying for a new group health insurance policy, do not lie on application form. You will automatically disqualify your new insurance policy. Answer the questions asked truthfully and accurately.

The whole world doesn’t need to know...

unless you want them to know.

A future post will address the emotional uncertainty of MS from a patient's perspective.

New Freedom Initiative -- Medicaid, Employment, and Affordable Housing for Disabled Persons

As I continue to learn about the economics of health policy and the politics of entitlement programs, I contemplate the intersection and disconnect of various safety-net and hand-up programs.

On February 1, 2001, President Bush announced the New Freedom Initiative - a comprehensive program to promote the full participation of people with disabilities in all areas of society... On July 27, 2007, the White House released the 2007 Progress Report on the New Freedom Initiative which is President George W. Bush's plan to tear down barriers to full integration into American life that remain for many of the 54 million Americans with disabilities.


As part of the New Freedom Initiative, DisabilityInfo.gov, a federal one-stop online resource and collaborative effort among twenty-two federal agencies, connects people with disabilities to the information and resources they need to actively participate in the workforce and in their communities. While perusing the website, I found the legislative foundation of Virginia's Medicaid Works program I discussed previously.

Enacted on December 17, 1999, the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (TWWIIA) includes several incentives and opportunities for successful work experiences for people who receive Social Security disability benefits who want to go to work. This landmark legislation modernizes the employment services system for people with disabilities and makes it possible for millions of Americans with disabilities to no longer have to choose between taking a job and having health care.

The Virginia Work Incentive (WIN) program, Medicaid Works, is a Medicaid Buy-In program available to disabled enrollees, under 65, who are employed or wish to be employed. To qualify for Medicaid Coverage, an individual's income must be below 80% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) which equates to $8168 for an individual in 2007 and $10,952 for a couple. Initial eligibility also requires the applicant to have resources limited to $2000 for individual or $3000 for couple.

Continued participation in Medicaid Works requires that all earned income be deposited into a WIN account, maintaining $2000 minimum balance. Any amounts deposited into IRS-approved accounts do not count against resource limits and will not affect continued eligibility. Examples of IRS-approved accounts include IRA, MSA, MRA, education accounts or independence accounts.

According to the Medicaid Works Handbook, the Virginia program allows the disabled Medicaid recipient to earn income up to $40,905 and to accumulate resources up to $27,577 which far exceed general Medicaid limits. Following are the Principles for Development of the Medicaid Buy-In Program in Virginia. Consider carefully the bold statements [my emphasis].

1. To remove barriers to employment in order to allow Virginians with disabilities to maximize their potential for personal growth and independence.

• Persons with disabilities should have the option and opportunity to work and boost their self-sufficiency. Fear of losing health insurance coverage has been identified as a barrier to employment for individuals with disabilities. No one should have to choose between going to work and having health insurance coverage, nor should taking a job put you at greater financial risk than remaining unemployed.

2. To provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to increase their financial security and independence by accumulating assets.

• Enable individuals with disabilities to increase their financial independence through accumulated assets that make it possible for them to respond to short term emergencies, to save for retirement or for their families’ needs. It is important for all Virginians to have the opportunity to participate in the American dream. People with disabilities who go to work should have the opportunity to save and plan for the future just like everyone else.

3. To promote a coordinated and integrated program/process that positively impacts the workforce and the community, and assures the consumer that no harm will result from participation in the program.

• Keep the program simple and easy to understand. Enable a smooth transition both to and from the program, including safeguards to ensure participants who acquire resources/savings (e.g., increased resource limits) will not adversely impact their eligibility for Medicaid in the event their employment ends. The Buy-In will encourage people with disabilities to enter the competitive workforce, thus, expanding the labor pool for employers with willing, capable individuals who will work hard, pay taxes, and be further engaged in community life.

4. To encourage and support Virginians with disabilities who engage in gainful employment in a competitive environment.

• Provide individuals with the opportunity to retain vitally important health care coverage so that they may confidently participate in the workforce without fear of financial instability due to personal health care needs. However, the purpose of this program must include the expectation that buy-in participants are engaging in meaningful work with earnings that will help in meeting their financial needs as well. Virginia's Medicaid Buy-in should promote the idea that individuals with disabilities can compete in the workplace and earn sufficiently to gain a measure of true independence.

5. To create a fiscally responsible system that benefits Virginians with disabilities.

• It is important to ensure that Virginia’s MBI program is economically feasible. The Advisory Committee, and all partners in the development of our State’s program, should be thorough and examine all program options carefully, to ensure that Virginia does not experience unintended consequence (i.e., enrollment/costs that far exceed projections, or a program so restrictive that few people take advantage of it). Assist in developing a system that supports people in going to work, rather than one that merely expands Medicaid. The MBI Program should be a true “buy-in” for participants, wherein individuals will share in the cost of health care coverage, at a reasonable level that still makes it possible for them to provide for other needs.

I especially enjoy the ideology behind these statements although I do not fit the criteria to participate in Medicaid Works:

• It is important for all Virginians to have the opportunity to participate in the American dream.
• No one should have to choose between going to work and having health insurance coverage, nor should taking a job put you at greater financial risk than remaining unemployed.
• The MBI Program should be a true “buy-in” for participants, wherein individuals will share in the cost of health care coverage, at a reasonable level that still makes it possible for them to provide for other needs.

Although it is not the same thing, Bob Laszewski discusses a Medicare Buy-In program over at Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review.

For individuals and families with low- to moderate-income, home ownership is often the part of the American dream which remains a dream. After being denied the additional assistance I needed in 2006 for prescription medication, I looked into local programs designed to assist low- to moderate-income individuals in achieving home ownership. What I discovered was that I didn't earn enough income to qualify.

The City of Falls Church Housing and Human Services (HHS) Division establishes income limits for the Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Area Median Income for the Northern Virginia/DC Metro Area. In 2007, the Median Family Income (MFI) in the Northern Virginia MSA is $94,500 for family of 4. $60,000 qualifies as low-income for a family of 4 and $42,000 for an individual according. HUD defines very low-income as 50% Median Income which becomes $33,100 for an individual and $47,250 for family of 4. The lowest range for HUD is 30% Median Income which is $19,850 for an individual and $28,350 for family of 4.

As of April 23, 2007, the City of Falls Church Affordable Housing Income Limits are $33,075 - $52,920 for an individual, $37,800 - $60,480 for family of 2, and $47,250 - $75,600 for family of 4. These numbers correlate to minimum income at 50% Median Income and maximum income at 80% Median Income. Current available Affordable Dwelling Units in Falls Church include seven 1-bedroom units at $98,229 each and eight 2-bedroom units at $136,168 each in the Pearson Square complex located less than 1/2 mile from where I live. Also available are three 1-bedroom units at $113,876 each and five 2-bedroom units at $146,412 each in the Spectrum at Falls Church complex only 1 mile away.

Now here's the irony. If I were declared disabled by Social Security Administration, I could take the risk of allowing my income to fall to $8168 while depleting personal savings to $2000 to qualify for participation in the Medicaid Works program. Then I could earn up to $40,905 (400% FPL or 61.7% MI), have Medicaid coverage, save for retirement and maintain personal savings of $27,577, and qualify to purchase an affordable housing unit within the community I live and work.

However, that is a risk I am not brave enough to take.