The Center for Medicare Advocacy submitted comments this week in response on a proposed rule updating Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in order to protect against discrimination on the basis of disability in HHS-funded programs. The Center was joined in these comments by Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), Diverse Elders Coalition, Justice in Aging, Medicare Rights Center, National Council on Aging, and The Arc of the United States. The comments thanked HHS for the changes made in this proposal that will reinforce and strengthen protections from disability discrimination in health care by entities that receive financial assistance from HHS (part 84 of the regulation). The comments urged HHS to accelerate publication of its separate intended rulemaking to amend the provisions that apply to HHS itself; the updates to the “federally conducted” regulation (part 85) in order to address discrimination in the administration of the Medicare program.
- The comments are available at: https://medicareadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/504-comments-final.pdf