Help End Health Care Discrimination! Submit comments by November 13 on proposed updates to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Good news! A new rule announced last month by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers our community better protection from discrimination when accessing health care and other resources. Now we need you to join Disability Rights Oregon in showing support and submitting comments to make the proposed regulations even stronger for people with disabilities! The proposed rule, Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities, updates and improves regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the landmark national law that protects qualified individuals in federally funded programs from discrimination based on their disability. It’s been 40 years since Section 504 regulations have been updated, and our world has changed a lot. It’s past time for federal law to reflect the current state of our healthcare system, including how access to new technologies has made accessibility a much more affordable and attainable reality. |
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Our Recommendations to the Rule Disability Rights Oregon is happy with the many issues the proposed rule addresses to improve people’s lives, but some of the proposed regulations don’t go far enough, and others need further clarification to adequately address the many systemic issues people with disabilities face when seeking health care. We are recommending several additions to the new rule in regards to medical treatment; value assessment methods; the child welfare system including segregated settings and parental fitness; integration; accessibility including medical equipment, websites, mobile apps, kiosks, and live-audio content; and equity for patients with co-occurring diagnoses such as mental health and substance abuse, a problem not addressed in the rule so far. |
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Your Input Will Make a Difference We’ve already shared our feedback about the proposed Section 504 updates with the federal government, and now it’s your turn to: |
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Your personal experiences and opinions always matter. By taking action today, you can help guarantee our government follows through on ensuring people with disabilities have equal access to health care and happiness. Let’s make it happen together.
Thank you for being part of the disability movement, |
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