Federal rule bolsters protections for people with disabilities in health care settings

Published: Friday, May 3, 2024 - 11:50am

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finalized a rule that bolsters protections for people with disabilities in health care settings. 

The rule clarifies several areas, like ensuring medical treatment decisions are not based on negative biases or stereotypes, and requiring accessible medical diagnostic equipment like mammography machines.

Jon Meyers is the executive director of the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

"One of the things that is clear to many people with disabilities, especially physical disabilities … is that getting health care is a real challenge; both because there aren’t enough providers to serve this population, but even beyond that because the settings themselves are not accommodating," Meyers said. 

The rule also defines what accessibility means for websites and mobile apps.

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