The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR), in partnership with the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan (DOJ), entered into an agreement with Dearborn Obstetrics and Gynecology, P.C. (Dearborn OBGYN), to resolve an alleged federal civil rights violation. OCR received a complaint alleging that Dearborn OBGYN refused repeated requests to provide the complainant with a sign language interpreter for a preoperative appointment. The complainant further alleged that Dearborn OBGYN retaliated against her for requesting an interpreter by cancelling her preoperative appointment and surgery and by terminating her as a patient. Failure to provide effective communication for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing violates Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act of 2010.
