On behalf of the members of the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO), the Chair submitted comments on the latest Section 1557 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to the Director for the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The current regulatory interpretation of Section 1557, the nondiscrimination protections in the Affordable Care Act, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. This NPRM proposes to strengthen 1557 by extending these protections to persons identifying as LGBTQ+, persons with limited English proficiency, and older adults. Furthermore, the proposed rule would: require health insurance carriers or entities receiving federal dollars comply with 1557; apply the protections to Medicare Part B; and strengthen the process related to religious freedom objections.