I will probably get flamed for this but here goes...

[SueM in MN]

I'm sorry if my words weren't clear- my mind is overworked. I shouldn't have posted.

I think the story you posted was wonderful.

An even easier way to prevent fraud would be to request some form of proof - not a diagnosis or letter from your doctor saying what your medical condition is, but an SSI or Medicaid card, a handicapped parking placard or something like the Golden Access Pass (most states have them too - we have one from California as well.)

My DD has been classified as permanently disabled since she was 19 months old (CP, ADD, epilepsy).
We would not have been able to show any of those things. She has had a handicapped parking permit since she was 2 yrs old, but we could not have shown it as 'proof' because we are using it to park with,
She did not receive SSI or Medicaid until she was over 18 years old because there are income limits connected to those and our family income was too high for her to qualify until she was an adult. We also don't have a Golden Access Card.

Requiring one of those things in order to get a GAC would serve to prevent us from getting a GAC, which would be against the part of the ADA that says getting accomidation can't be based on having to provide proofs that would "screen out" people with disabilities.

The Golden Access cards can require 'proof' because they are not providing accomidation, they are providing a discount. Handicapped Parking permits provide access to closer parking spots. Since they provide more than accomidation, they can ask for proof.

 

[MBW]

Forevryoung, I'm sorry - of course you should have posted - I just didn't understand, and the last line confused me, as I was the one who'd used that term. My heart has ached for the people on this thread who have felt they have to justify their use of the GAC, and unjustifiably thought you might be in the camp of the OP. I truly am sorry (can I use the excuse that I have pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma, and thus my thinking somewhat fuzzy at this point?)

Sue, the thing is, no one is going to question your family's need for accommodation - and for that I'm very sorry for the challenges you all have to face every single day (and not just in Disney.) (I'm sure you handle those challenges very well, just sayin'....) No one in Guest Services who isn't completely clueless shouldn't understand the bare minimum of your children's challenges, and ask how better can Disney accommodate them. I'm not saying that's how it happens (as I know you've met clueless CMs) but that's how one would expect it to happen, in a sane world. I can't imagine someone even asking you all for "documentation", whether or not you possess such (I guess I'm warped, as in Maine, almost all disabled children, independent of parents economic status, are enrolled in Medicaid - it's part of our universal health care program.)

But it seems that the problem the OP, and others, have with the GAC, is that THEY can't play doctor and diagnose the holders of such "benefits", and thus see us all lacking in necessity. If our children were mobility challenged, or visibly blind or whatever indicates physical disability, then all would be peachy. But because our kids "look" normal, and can walk to any given ride, they obviously don't need the accommodations the GAC offers. Clearly, I disagree. But since I do have the documentation, or at least, am willing to swear, under severe penalty, that my children do require Disney accommodation, I'm willing to put that on the table, if it means Disney keeps said accommodation, or even better, expands it. I'm not saying it's right under the ADA, or even fair - but I imagine there are far more people who can prove a disability (not merely a diagnosis) than not, and we need to be reaching out to those people, to make sure they understand that Disney "gets it" when it comes to their (our) issues. There are always exceptions to the rule, which is why flexibility needs to be built in - but I would imagine that those without documentation are the exception, not the rule, when it comes to needing the GAC.

Anyway, again, my apologies to Forevryoung. I obviously misconstrued the meaning of the story.

 

[Forevryoung]

Anyway, again, my apologies to Forevryoung. I obviously misconstrued the meaning of the story.

That ends that.

I hope you feel better

 

[taximomfor4]

as in Maine, almost all disabled children, independent of parents economic status, are enrolled in Medicaid - it's part of our universal health care program.)

But it seems that the problem the OP, and others, have with the GAC, is that THEY can't play doctor and diagnose the holders of such "benefits", and thus see us all lacking in necessity. If our children were mobility challenged, or visibly blind or whatever indicates physical disability, then all would be peachy. But because our kids "look" normal, and can walk to any given ride, they obviously don't need the accommodations the GAC offers.

See, I think that even if we could get Medicaid due to dd's special needs, it probably would require a "qualifying diagnosis." DD has been turned down for all kinds of programs and camps because we don't HAVE a diagnosis. We have a list of signs and symptoms, and needs. That is the school's current reason for refusing an IEP or 504 for her -- no qualifying diagnosis.

As for signing a statement, of course I would do that. I would show anything I DO have, which is tons of medical paperwork and PT/ot paperwork, too, if that would serve as proof. She has been in these therapies since she was 12 months old.

BTW, I like these threads, in a way. It gets ideas out there, and I think we all learn a little each time we read one of these!

Beth

 

[LindsayDunn228]

(I guess I'm warped, as in Maine, almost all disabled children, independent of parents economic status, are enrolled in Medicaid - it's part of our universal health care program.)

Are you serious?? Good grief. I was injured at age 6, lived with my single mother, and we never did this. I've never once needed government help. Why get it if you don't need it?

Sorry, this is a soapbox issue with me.

 

[tw1nsmom]

Are you serious?? Good grief. I was injured at age 6, lived with my single mother, and we never did this. I've never once needed government help. Why get it if you don't need it?

Sorry, this is a soapbox issue with me.

Because you don't know when you may need it and it can take years to get a medicaid waiver (at least in most states, I don't know about Maine).

We don't have one for DS, but we would get one if he had more needs. Many children need expensive therapies that aren't covered by insurance or schools (or at least by the time you go through the merry-go-round of the insurance saying that it's the schools responsibility and the school saying it's an insurance issue, the child will be beyond the help of therapies).

Medicaid will also pay for the cost of a new wheelchair or other equipment if your regular insurance won't pay for it. Some insurance companies have lifetime caps and even the wealthiest families would bankrupt themselves paying for equipment, therapies, surgeries and doctors all by themselves.

Lastly, many families who get the waiver never use it. They use it as both the literal insurance policy that it is, as well as a figurative policy. Because it can take years to get, they go throught the process just in case something happens that they can no longer pay out of pocket for expenses. They're also getting it for their developmentally disabled children so that when they reach adulthood (when the parents insurance no longer covers the child) they can have a seamless transition.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sue, the thing is, no one is going to question your family's need for accommodation - and for that I'm very sorry for the challenges you all have to face every single day (and not just in Disney.) (I'm sure you handle those challenges very well, just sayin'....) No one in Guest Services who isn't completely clueless shouldn't understand the bare minimum of your children's challenges, and ask how better can Disney accommodate them....................But it seems that the problem the OP, and others, have with the GAC, is that THEY can't play doctor and diagnose the holders of such "benefits", and thus see us all lacking in necessity. If our children were mobility challenged, or visibly blind or whatever indicates physical disability, then all would be peachy. But because our kids "look" normal, and can walk to any given ride, they obviously don't need the accommodations the GAC offers.

I think it's a very imperfect sytem. They try, but it's difficult even with the CMs who are not clueless.

Having a wheelchair is no 'help' to getting a GAC; in fact, it seems (at least to us), that people see the wheelchair and see no need for accomidation because the obvious need is the wheelchair.
Most of the lines are wheelchair accessible and the majority of people using wheelchairs don't need or want any accomidation except for accessible lines. People like my DD, who has additional invisible needs besides the obvious physical ones, have just as much trouble getting their invisible needs accomidated as people who have only invisible needs.
Now that we are 'in' the WDW system for GACs, we don't have problem showing our old GAC and getting a new one. But, we did have several years of trying to get a GAC and being told we did not need one because the lines were accessible.
We still have not been back to Universal because they said to us on several occassions that because DD had a wheelchair, she did not need any additional accomidation (even though she has invisible needs that would 'qualify' her for their GAC if she did not have a wheelchair). It's not that we wanted to get to the front of the lines or not have a wait - all we were asking was if she (and one other member of our party) could wait out of the sun, heat and crowd while the other members of our party went thru the line.

Also, not everyone with a disability (even some with invisible disabilities) needs a GAC.
The 'proofs' that were mentioned (handicapped parking permit, Medicaid card, SSI card, Park System Golden Access Card) are cards that many people might have, even though they have no additional needs for accomidation at the parks.