Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18116) is the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs or activities. Section 1557 builds on other Federal civil rights laws already implemented and adhered to by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) including, but not limited to, Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act, and Age Discrimination Act of 1975.
It is the policy of MDH not to discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Section 1557 and its implementing regulations may be examined in the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (OEOP), Equal Access Compliance Unit (EACU) by Keneithia Taylor, MDH Fair Practices Officer & Section 1557 Coordinator, and Andrea Gillespie, MDH Equal Access Compliance Officer & Section 1557 Assistant Coordinator, who have been designated to coordinate the efforts of MDH to comply with Section 1557. They may be reached at 410-767-6600 or via email at mdh.oeop@maryland.gov for technical assistance regarding Section 1557.
