Disability advocates rally for bill that reimburses durable medical equipment providers
Latavia Sturdivant, a woman who won Ms. Wheelchair New York 2025, said she organized the event to raise awareness about a Medicaid parity bill.
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Disability advocates rallied in Mount Vernon on Saturday to get a bill passed that provides reimbursement to durable medical equipment providers in New York.
The rally was called "Enough is Enough: Stand Up for Durable Medical Equipment Rally."
Latavia Sturdivant, a woman who won Ms. Wheelchair New York 2025, said she organized the event to raise awareness about a Medicaid parity bill.
Sturdivant said the bill is necessary to sign into law because it would reimburse businesses that sell durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, braces and orthotics.
If the bill doesn't get passed, Sturdivant said local, independent businesses will have to close because they can't afford the overhead expenses to make their products.
Sturdivant's event was held at a Mount Vernon vendor called J-K Prosthetics and Orthotics.
According to the business operators, the company could close because of the problem.
Sturdivant said she wants her efforts to advocate for the passage of the bill to save the company.
"This business has been around for 50 years. It's been servicing our community, and we say we're a state that protects our most vulnerable and we protect our small businesses. Well, this is the time to save this small business," Sturdivant said.
