The Justice Department today sent to the Federal Register for publication a notice of proposed rulemaking under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that aims to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities. MDE includes equipment like medical examination tables, weight scales, dental chairs, x-ray machines and mammography equipment. Accessible MDE is essential for people with disabilities to have equal access to medical care. The rule proposes to adopt technical standards that clarify how public entities that use MDE, such as hospitals and healthcare clinics operated by state or local governments, can meet their existing obligations under the ADA. The department has received many complaints from individuals with disabilities that healthcare providers have not provided them with basic, vital healthcare — for example, not obtaining an accurate weight when administering anesthesia before surgery — because of the lack of accessible MDE.
