The Disability Squeeze

Dr. Zach Morris
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  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
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The Disability Squeeze explores why everyday life is often more expensive for disabled people and their families. Hosted by Dr. Zach Morris, an Associate Professor at Stony Brook University, each episode blends real-life stories and expert insights to uncover the extra costs of living with a disability and highlight real-world solutions to make life more affordable and equitable.

Episodes

  1. 11/02/2025

    Episode 9. Theo Braddy on the Costs of Community Living and the Threat of Re institutionalization

    Theo Braddy (National Council on Independent Living) joins The Disability Squeeze Podcast to discuss the financial and policy barriers facing people with disabilities who rely on home and community-based services.Drawing on his decades of leadership in the Independent Living Movement, Braddy shares his personal experience paying out-of-pocket for attendant care, explores how Medicaid’s “benefits cliff” traps workers, and warns of a growing push toward re-institutionalization.Subscribe to The Disability Squeeze Podcast for more stories and analysis on the extra costs of disability and policy change. For more information, visit DisabilitySqueeze.org

    35 min

  2. 10/03/2025

    Episode 8: Mia Ives-Rublee: Disability Squeeze Symposium Keynote

    Keynote address from Mia Ives-Rublee (Center for American Progress), recorded live at the Disability Squeeze Research Symposium at New York Law School (Sept 26, 2025). Nearly 500 people registered to attend the symposium on the extra costs of disability and the challenges they create for everyday life. Subscribe to The Disability Squeeze Podcast for more talks and stories on disability costs and policy change. The Disability Squeeze Symposium brought together researchers, advocates, and policymakers to examine the extra costs of living with a disability. For more information, visit DisabilitySqueeze.org. A full transcript is available here.

    32 min

  3. 06/23/2025

    Episode 7: Delegate Aaron Kaufman on Building Bipartisan Support for Disability Rights

    Maryland Delegate Aaron Kaufman discusses his experience making bipartisan legislation happen —from fixing broken wheelchair repair systems to making special education lawsuits more fair for families. We talk about his political strategy, the fight to protect Medicaid and SNAP, and what it takes to move disability policy forward in a divided political landscape. Topics include: Legal costs in special education and IDEA enforcement The right-to-repair movement for mobility devices ABLE accounts and financial security Bipartisan paths to disability rights legislation What advocates and researchers can do next You can read the full transcript here.

    26 min

  4. 04/28/2025

    Episode 6: Turning Up the Squeeze: How Federal Policy Shifts Threaten Disabled People's Economic Security

    Tracking how federal disability policy in the United States is shifting feels overwhelming — with major proposals, executive actions, and agency changes unfolding almost daily. In this episode featuring an interview with Binghamton University Professor ⁠Matt Borus, we discuss the key areas of disability policy to watch closely and why it matters. The interview draws on a recent piece published in The Conversation by Matt, which offers a clear roadmap for understanding the risks disabled people now face and how these moves could intensify the Disability Squeeze. *Read the full transcript.

    34 min

  5. 03/17/2025

    Episode 5: Why Many Disabled People Can't Afford to Participate in Guaranteed Income Programs

    In this episode, Kevin Gotkin lays out why many disabled people simply can't afford to participate in guaranteed income programs drawing on their new report CRIP COIN: Disability,Public Benefits, and Guaranteed Income. You can sign up for Kevin's newsletter on disability arts and politics here: https://www.cripnews.com/ You can find the full transcript of our conversation here.

    27 min

  6. 02/24/2025

    Episode 4: How Governments Can Tackle the Disability Squeeze

    What can governments do to address the disability squeeze? In this conversation with Dr. Daniel Mont, co-founder and CEO of the Center for Inclusive Policy and a leading global expert on the extra costs of disability, we discuss what we know about the extra costs of living with a disability, why these expenses matter, and how governments can design policies that help—even when resources are tight and budgets are stretched. You can find the full transcript of our conversation here.

    43 min

  7. 02/13/2025

    Episode 3: What If Just Existing Cost You 30% More? (Disability Squeeze Podcast Trailer)

    What if just existing cost you 30% more? Living with a disability shouldn’t come with a financial penalty—but in the U.S and around the world, it does. Everyday expenses—like prescription drugs, transportation, home modifications, assistive technology, and caregiving—add up to an invisible tax on millions of people, making it harder to work, attend school, and afford basic needs. I’m Dr. Zach Morris, a professor at Stony Brook University, where I research the extra costs of disability. My work estimates that it takes nearly 30% more per year for a person with a disability to maintain their standard of living in the U.S. But while this financial squeeze shapes daily life for millions, it’s rarely discussed in economic or policy debates. In The Disability Squeeze, we expose these hidden costs through real-life stories and data-driven insights, exploring how systemic barriers—like unaffordable prescription drugs, outdated benefits rules, inaccessible workplaces, and gaps in healthcare—make life more expensive, and what can be done to fix it. We want to hear from you. If you or someone you know has faced the financial strain of living with a disability, ⁠fill out the form linked here⁠. Your experiences help highlight the true cost of disability and push for meaningful change.

    1 min

  8. 02/10/2025

    Episode 2: A Family Caregiver Turned Advocate With Big Ideas

    Listen to this interview with Carrie Leljedal —a family caregiver turned advocate with big ideas for addressing the disability squeeze. Like millions of Americans, Carrie knows firsthand about the extra costs of disability —whether it’s the astronomical cost of converting a van for wheelchair access or the crushing weight of medical bills. You can read the full transcript here.

    34 min

  9. 01/27/2025

    Episode 1: What Is The Disability Squeeze?

    Listen to our first interview with Dr. Arielle Silverman, Research Director at the American Foundation for the Blind, on the extra costs of living with a disability. We also discuss her book Just Human: The Quest for Disability Wisdom, Respect, and Inclusion. And be sure to stay to the end for interesting conversation about a basic income guarantee. *You can read the full transcript of the interview here. **Please also read this policy brief published by the American Foundation for the Blind.

    26 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Disability Squeeze explores why everyday life is often more expensive for disabled people and their families. Hosted by Dr. Zach Morris, an Associate Professor at Stony Brook University, each episode blends real-life stories and expert insights to uncover the extra costs of living with a disability and highlight real-world solutions to make life more affordable and equitable.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Zach Morris
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Zach Morris
  • Show Website
    The Disability Squeeze