[Nfbnet-members-list] Federal Office of Personnel Management Improving Access to Health Benefits Information for Blind Employees

Wed May 19 18:58:18 UTC 2021

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

FEDERAL OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTH BENEFITS
INFORMATION FOR BLIND EMPLOYEES

_AGREEMENT RESOLVES LITIGATION BY RETIRED FEDERAL WORKER AND NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF THE BLIND_

CHICAGO (MAY 19, 2021): Under a consent decree entered in federal court in
the Northern District of Illinois last week, the federal Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) has agreed to take steps to ensure that health
benefit information is accessible to blind federal employees, retirees, and
other plan participants. 

The consent decree resolves a lawsuit [2] brought in 2019 by Jamal Mazrui,
a retired blind federal employee, and the National Federation of the Blind,
America's civil rights organization of the blind. 

Among other steps, OPM will ensure that health-benefit information on
opm.gov is accessible and will notify all providers of federal employee
health benefits that they must make their own federal employee benefits
websites and mobile apps accessible or face potential consequences to their
contracts. 

"The federal government is probably the largest single employer of blind
people, and all current and retired employees must have equal access to
information about their health benefits in order to protect and provide for
themselves and their families," said Mark Riccobono, President of the
National Federation of the Blind. "We expect the government to provide
leadership in equal access. This resolution is a positive step in that
direction and we are pleased that OPM has already taken many steps to
ensure the blind have access to this critical information." 

"Everyone should be able to access their personal health insurance
information privately and independently," said Rachel M. Weisberg, attorney
with Equip for Equality, the protection and advocacy system for the state
of Illinois. "We applaud OPM's commitment to ensuring that all carriers
that provide health insurance coverage will be accessible to the blind
community." 

The plaintiffs are represented by Equip for Equality and the Baltimore law
firm of Brown Goldstein & Levy, LLP. 

### 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore,
defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and
support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing
vision, and more. Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership
and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and
divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe
in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them
into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at nfb.org
[3] 

ABOUT EQUIP FOR EQUALITY

Equip for Equality (EFE) is a private, not-for-profit entity designated in
1985 by the Governor to administer the federally mandated Protection and
Advocacy System for safeguarding the rights of people with disabilities in
Illinois. EFE is dedicated to expanding opportunities for people with
disabilities to live full and independent lives by providing self-advocacy
assistance, legal services, disability rights education, public policy
advocacy and abuse investigations. For more information, go to
equipforequality.org [4]. 

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen
 Director of Public Relations
 National Federation of the Blind
 (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
 (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
 cdanielsen at nfb.org 

Rachel M. Weisberg
 Attorney
 Equip for Equality
 (312) 895-7319
 rachelw at equipforequality.org 

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 		 National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD
21230 | 410-659-9314 

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