In an Oct. 3 letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), America’s Essential Hospitals commented on the Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities proposed rule.
The association supports the reinstated and enhanced nondiscrimination protections in Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability under any health program or activity that receives federal financial assistance or is administered by an executive agency under Title I of the Act.
In the letter, America’s Essential Hospitals also encourages HHS to finalize nondiscrimination protections and codify a federal nondiscrimination standard.
Given essential hospitals’ commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care to all patients regardless of sociodemographic characteristics, America’s Essential Hospitals additionally urges HHS to establish nondiscrimination training for all health care workers. The association requests that HHS remain flexible in its nondiscrimination training requirements as essential hospitals find ways to provide training to relevant staff in ways that best fit their organizational needs.
Contact Senior Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
