A federal judge in Boston ruled the Trump administration's CMS rule went too far when it made disabled people prove their condition "significantly impairs" their ability to meet Medicaid work requirements. Judge Richard Stearns ordered CMS to remove it. AAPD's Maria Town said, "This ruling is a win for disabled people." But work requirements still start January 1. (Source: Disability Scoop, Nov 2, 2026)
On October 30, HHS finalized a rule saying gender dysphoria not resulting from physical impairments is excluded from the definition of disability under Section 504. Section 504 is the backbone of disability civil rights, and this hits disabled and LGBTQ+ people at the same time. (Source: HHS, Oct 30, 2026) The New York Times also reports a DOJ reinterpretation of Olmstead threatens the right to live at home, with a Florida case in play.
Mr. Wheels take: a win in court is not a win in the mailbox. Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and tell your senators to protect Medicaid exemptions, Section 504 and Olmstead. Full dispatch on our Substack: mrwheels76.substack.com. Real voices. Real impact. Real change.