End Disability Discrimination in Healthcare
People with disabilities face many barriers to accessing health care.
- Have you ever had a doctor discriminate against you because of your disability?
- Have you been unable to use medical equipment?
- Have you had a doctor refuse to see you because of your disability?
- Has your support person been excluded from your appointments?
- Have you had trouble accessing medical services because of your disability or gone without needed care?
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is updating critical rules that address discrimination against people with disabilities in government-funded health care and human service programs. The proposed rules would apply to health care and human service programs and activities that receive federal dollars, including by hospitals and health care providers that accept Medicaid or Medicare.
The new rule aims to:
- Ensure that medical treatment decisions are not based on biases or stereotypes about individuals with disabilities.
- Prohibit the use of tools that place a lower value on the lives of people with disabilities and can limit access to benefits and services.
- Ensure diagnostic medical equipment at doctors’ offices (such as weight scales, examination tables, mammography equipment, X-ray machines, and more) are accessible to people using wheelchairs or mobility aids.
- Ensure websites, mobile apps, self-serve kiosks, and other technology used in health care settings can be used by all patients.
- Strengthen protections so that child welfare activities do not discriminate against children, parents, caregivers, foster parents, and prospective parents with disabilities.
- Support people to not be institutionalized by ensuring services are provided in the most integrated setting appropriate.
If you have experienced these issues or related problems you can help end disability discrimination in health care! Submit a comment by November 13.
