Health

The Hidden Costs of Disability

Persons with disabilities

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Persons with disabilities are people who have physical, mental, intellectual or sensory limitations in the long term who in interacting with the environment and attitudes of the community may encounter obstacles that make it difficult to participate fully and effectively on the basis of equal rights. The term disability comes from English, namely different abilities, which means humans have different abilities. There are several terms that refer to people with disabilities, the Ministry of Social Affairs refers to people with disabilities, the Ministry of National Education refers to people with special needs and the Ministry of Health refers to people with disabilities.

There is a misconception that disabled people have certain needs provided to them, no questions asked. While certain things like SSDI exist to assist disabled individuals, there are still things that they need to pay for out of pocket. Here are some of the things that disabled people often still have to budget for.

Accessibility Devices

While some insurances do cover certain types of accessibility devices such as wheelchairs, not all do, and more often than not they will only be covered under certain diagnoses regardless of actual ability. If a person needs a specific type of wheelchair (a wider seat for larger individuals, motorized vs manual) this also may not be covered under insurance. Other types of accessibility aids, such as service dogs, are not covered under insurance at all and must be paid for out of pocket by the patient. Because of the high price tag on many of these items, many will have to look into financial planning for people with disabilities in order to afford them.

Transportation

There are many conditions, ranging from ADHD to blindness, that make driving a vehicle impossible for some people. Whether they opt to take the bus or use a ride-sharing app, a disabled person will spend more money and time taking public transportation.

Services

There are certain tasks that are made much more difficult with the introduction of a disability. For instance, a person may be unable to walk their dog, prepare food, and do other daily tasks. While some types of at-home care are covered by some insurances, there are some things that are rarely, if ever provided to a disabled person free of charge.

These extra expenses can add a significant amount of stress to the existing difficulties that disabled individuals already have to face. Knowing how to receive certain benefits and budget money is imperative for disabled people.

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