Crenshaw Earns 2014 NDSS Champion of Change Award

from InsuranceNewsNet.com:
WASHINGTON
, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla. (4th CD), issued the following news release: The National Down Syndrome Society today (2/27) awarded Congressman Ander Crenshaw its 2014 Champion of Change Award, citing his focus on advancing the nation's commitment to people with Down Syndrome through the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act - H.R. 647/S. 313). "Receiving the 2014 Champion of Change award is a great honor, but really the members of the National Down Syndrome Society and its wide base of dedicated volunteers deserve to take a bow," said Crenshaw, on Thursday after receiving the award. "Plain and simple: Individuals with disabilities should have access to the same financial planning tools as other Americans. That's why Congress needs to pass the ABLE Act. Tax free savings accounts would allow millions who do not have that freedom today an opportunity to pro-actively plan for their future and live to their full potential. With the steadfast commitment of NDSS and other organizations, we will all reach that goal together."

Globetrotters Sign 3-point Ace With Down Syndrome For Philadelphia Game

from CBS 3 Philly:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kevin Grow, a high school senior with Down syndrome who became an Internet hit with his 3-point shooting, will play next month for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Grow will suit up for the Globetrotters in the fourth quarter of their March 9 game in Philadelphia. Grow, a devout Globetrotters fan from suburban Philadelphia, was added to the roster Tuesday as their 3-point specialist.

He signed a ceremonial two-day contract last week with the Philadelphia 76ers. He took part in pregame activities, and received a jersey.

The 18-year-old Grow spent four years as team manager of the Bensalem High School boys basketball team. He played in two games, hitting four 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes of his second one, and highlights went viral.

Teen with Down syndrome becomes magazine model

by CNN Wire:
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. (KMOV) –  Monday was “Karrie Brown Day” in Collinsville, Illinois. The teenager was honored after she made her modeling debut in a national magazine.
After the 17-year-old girl’s Facebook page received 11,000 “likes” in less than a week, her favorite clothing store, Wet Seal, flew her to California to become their first model with Down syndrome.
“One of the girls from corporate Wet Seal said where did she learn to do those modeling moves? I said I have absolutely no idea, they said, she’s got a natural talent for it,” Karrie’s mom Sue Brown said.
When Karrie was a week old, a doctor told Sue never to expect anything from her. More than 28,000 Facebook likes and a stint in a national magazine later, it’s Sue who has the last laugh.
“They did a two page article on her which just kind of blew Karrie away, to see her picture in the same magazine with Ross Lynch and Selena Gomez and One Direction,” Sue said.
Karrie will walk the red carpet at a pre-Oscar event on March 1.

ABLE Act Would Allow Families to Prepare for the Future

by Laurel Joss from Autism Daily Newscast:
Caring for a loved one with autism is expensive. The expenses of raising a child with autism can include medical care, therapies, and respite care, but they do not end there. When children with autism grow up, they still have needs, including housing, utilities, and for many, around-the-clock supervision.
A recent survey by Autism Speaks of over 10,000 people from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds in the United States found that only one out of four families were saving money for their child’s future needs. This statistic is frightening, considering the sheer numbers of children who will be ageing out of the school system in the next decade.
The Achieving A Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act – S.313/H.R. 647) would allow families in the United States to open tax-free accounts similar to college savings accounts, health savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts in order to provide for their child’s future needs. Funds could be used for qualified expenses, including medical and dental care, education, housing, transportation, and job training programs. The ABLE Act also includes Medicaid fraud protection and a Medicaid pay-back provision when the beneficiary passes away.
Money saved through an ABLE account would not count against an individual’s eligibility for federal benefits, allowing individuals with disabilities to earn an income and save money towards their future without losing the benefits necessary for daily living.
Canada currently offers a similar program using Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSP).

Congress Eyeing Tax-Free Disability Savings Accounts

by Michelle Diament from Disability Scoop:
With significant public backing and support in Congress, advocates say federal lawmakers are poised to consider a major change to the money-saving abilities of those with disabilities.
Just one hurdle remains before Congress is expected to take up the Achieving a Better Life Experience, or ABLE, Act.
The bill — which has lingered since at least 2009 — would establish special accounts to allow people with disabilities to save up to $100,000 without risking their eligibility for benefits like Social Security. What’s more, under the plan, individuals could retain Medicaid no matter how much is deposited.
But before Congress can move forward, lawmakers are waiting for the Congressional Budget Office to weigh in with an estimate of what the bill would cost the government if it’s implemented. Once that figure is released — which could happen any day now — Congress is expected to act swiftly with advocates hoping for a floor vote in early spring.
“The ABLE Act is a must-pass piece of legislation for this Congress,” said U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., who is a member of the House leadership and a co-sponsor of the bill, in a statement to Disability Scoop.
Modeled after the popular 529 college savings plans, the ABLE Act would allow individuals with disabilities to open a special account at any financial institution to pay for education, health care, transportation, housing and other expenses. Interest earned on savings within the accounts would be tax-free.