For the last decade, Section 1557 has been at the center of many changes and today, it continues to be as the Biden administration is working to take giant steps towards restoring and strengthening some civil rights protections for people in many health-related programs and activities that receive funding from the federal government.
Section 1557, known as the “Health Care Rights Law,” is the main nondiscrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It prohibits discrimination in healthcare based on factors like race, ethnicity, language, age, disability, and sex. Part of this landmark regulation asserts that language barriers must not hinder patients’ access to quality care.
