Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a federal civil rights law. It prohibits discrimination in health care based on sex, race, color, national origin, age, and disability. Section 1557 also prohibits sexual harassment and sexual assault in health care. State and local laws may also help protect patients from sex discrimination in health care.
What health care providers are covered by Section 1557?
- • Hospitals, or doctors’ offices that receive federal funding.
- • Most health care plans, including most employer-sponsored plans.
- • Health insurance plans sold in the ACA marketplaces.
- • Health programs run by the federal government. These include Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Indian Health Service (IHS).