HHS is seeking new protections for vulnerable populations to protect them from discrimination and ensure they have equal access to healthcare and health coverage.
A newly proposed rule from HHS would assist vulnerable populations gain equal access to healthcare and health coverage. The Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities rule will extend all civil rights obligations to the health insurance marketplaces and HHS health programs and activities.
A section of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) already extended civil rights protections banning sex discrimination to health programs and activities, and the proposed rule establishes that the prohibition on sex discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity.
“This proposed rule is an important step to strengthen protections for people who have often been subject to discrimination in our health care system,” HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said in a statement. “This is another example of this administration’s commitment to giving every American access to the health care they deserve.”
In addition to the insurance exchanges and HHS programs and activities, the rule encompasses any programs or activities that receive any funding from HHS, such as hospitals accepting Medicare patients or physicians who treat Medicaid patients.
Under the ACA the Office for Civil Rights has been accepting complaints, but this proposed rule makes it clear that individuals who are victims of discrimination can seek legal remedies. The rule bars issuers on the exchanges from marketing practices or benefit designs that discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Among the new protections included in the proposed rule:
Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations
March 26th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on variations in prior authorization use across Medicare Advantage plans.
Listen
Poor Well-Being Scores Linked to Early Treatment Stoppage in Multiple Myeloma
March 27th 2024Investigators used the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General General Physical Wellbeing Scale to collect data on patient-reported treatment-related adverse effects, to provide clinicians guidance on predicting risk of early treatment discontinuation among ECOG-ACRIN E1A11 trial participants.
Read More
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
The Pivotal Role of Payers in Improving Health Equity, Maternal Health Care in the US
March 26th 2024A presentation at the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health's 2024 Women’s Health Summit discussed how payers, including employers and public entities, can strategically influence health care purchasing to prioritize maternal health and equity.
Read More