by Tom Tobin, First Vice-President, ACB Diabetics In Action
The Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act, H.R. 5605, was introduced in the 119th Congress and currently enjoys bipartisan support with co-sponsors of the bill from both parties. Generally speaking, if this legislation moves through Congress and is signed into law by the President, it would require all pharmaceutical companies who manufacture tier II and tier III durable medical equipment (DME) to make such equipment fully accessible. This would include insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, blood glucose meters, insulin pens and other non-diabetes related DME such as blood pressure monitors, oximeters and in-home dialysis machines. The passage of this legislation could have a profound impact on the lives of individuals living with diabetes and vision loss. Statistically, diabetes is still the leading cause of blindness among working-age individuals, so making these devices fully accessible is essential.
According to ACB staff, NFB has been working to find a Senate sponsor to develop a companion bill in the Senate, but as of this writing, progress on this is unknown. So, please keep your eyes and ears peeled regarding developments on this critical legislation, and be prepared to take action when it is requested.