CENTER FOR PUBLIC REPRESENTATION: Resolution of Federal Complaint Filed by CPR and Partners Makes Clear Hospital Visitor Policies Nationwide Must Accommodate Patients with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic
When the pandemic hit, hospitals quickly no visitors policies into effect. Often, people with disabilities rely on support from family and friends to effectively communicate with medical staff. Under laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations like these are required. In response to a recent federal complaint filed regarding discriminatory "no visitor" policies, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a resolution making clear that federal law requires hospitals and the state agencies overseeing them to modify policies to ensure patients with disabilities can safely access the in-person supports needed to benefit from medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic..
