The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and the United States Department of Health and Human Services have reached a settlement with Great Lakes Surgical Associates, a surgical practice with multiple locations in Michigan. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that the practice violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) as well as other federal civil rights laws when it refused to treat a patient because the patient was HIV-positive. The ADA prohibits places of public accommodation, such as medical offices, from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. Denying an individual the opportunity to participate in or benefit from the services of a medical office is one form of discrimination prohibited by Title III of the ADA. Under the settlement agreement, Great Lakes Surgical Associates has agreed to pay money damages to the patient and to revise its policies and train its staff to ensure compliance with the ADA.
