Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative

The Justice Department announced today that, as part of its Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative , it has reached a settlement with Woodlawn Family Dentistry, of Alexandria, Va., under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This is the third settlement addressing HIV discrimination by a medical provider reached by the Justice Department in three weeks. 
 

The Justice Department found that Woodlawn Family Dentistry required a patient with HIV to schedule all future appointments as the last appointment of the day. The department determined that, because the patient has HIV, Woodlawn failed to offer him the same options and availability in scheduling future appointments as it offered to other people. The department further determined that there was no lawful reason why Woodlawn could not treat the patient at any time during normal business hours.

 

“Ensuring that people with HIV are treated equally and with dignity is critical, especially in the medical field,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The ADA does not tolerate this type of discrimination and neither will the Justice Department.” 

 

Under the settlement, Woodlawn must pay $7,000 to the patient and $3,000 in civil penalties. In addition, Woodlawn must train its staff on the ADA and develop and implement an anti-discrimination policy. 

 

To read more, click here.

 

Source: DOJ

 

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.