March 17, 2025- HHS and DOJ issued final rulings in 2024 that adopt the ADA Access Board’s 2017 MDE standards as enforceable requirements. Any facility receiving federal funding (including Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP) and any government facility must comply with the requirements by July and August 2026, respectively.
Looking Back at the ADA in Action
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) outlines federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities in everyday activities, including equal access to medical services.
The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) required that the U.S. Access Board promulgate standards for medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) to provide accessible independent transfer from a wheeled mobility device to the examination table or chair. And while the ACA also specifies that the U.S. Access Board is responsible for developing the accessibility standards, it does not grant the Access Board enforcement authority. Instead, the ACA designates that enforcement of these standards is the responsibility of other federal agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In 2012, the U.S. Access Board formed an advisory committee to help determine the MDE standards. The advisory committee brought together diverse stakeholders, including disability rights advocates, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, and technical experts, to ensure that the resulting standards would address the needs of individuals with disabilities effectively.
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