Healthcare and the ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal laws protect people with hearing loss and give them rights in healthcare settings to clearly hear and understand their medical treatment.

Much, but not all, is described under Effective Communication

• ADA Effective Communication (webpage)

Last updated 14 Dec 2025

Articles and Templates

• Webb, A. (Spring 2022). Effective Communication in Medical Settings: Your Rights Under the Law. Hearing Life Magazine (2 pages, pdf)
• Letter to healthcare providers. National Association of the Deaf (NAD) (updated 8/22/17)  seeks to ensure that all healthcare providers, including doctor’s offices and hospitals, understand their legal obligations with respect to serving deaf and hard of hearing patients and companions. Many references to “Auxiliary aids and services” which includes assistive listening systems. Advocacy letter (13 pages, pdf)

Webinars

• ADA Center (12/10/25) The ADA’s Effective Communication Requirements in Healthcare Settings.  [not posted yet]
• Pacific ADA Center (8/27/25). Creating Inclusive Medical Environments. (1 hour, 28 minutes). All recordings of the national ADA healthcare webinars
• ADA Webinar (4/16/25). Your Rights As A Person with A Disability Under the ADA in Health Care (1 hour)
• ADA Webinar (8/22/24). ADA’s Effective Communication requirements in healthcare settings (webpage). Includes link to slides (pdf). Steve Gordon.
• ADA Webinar (8/22/24). Healthcare and the ADA Webinar: Personal Experiences with Healthcare Barriers & the ADA video archive (webpage)
• Webinar (5/3/23). Sweet. Kara, and Steve Gordon. “Episode 117: ADA and Effective Communication in Health Care Settings with the Department of Justice – ADALive!” (webpage). PowerPoint slides (pdf)
• ADA Healthcare Webinar Series. 16 recorded webinars (webpage). The series topics cover physical accessibility, effective communication, and reasonable modification of policy issues under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). (webpage)

Federal

• Fact Sheet. Telehealth and Federal Disability Laws (October 11, 2023) Pacific ADA Center.
• Final HHS Ruling (4/26/24). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advancing protections against discrimination in health care. New Rule to Strengthen Nondiscrimination Protections and Advance Civil Rights in Health Care (webpage)
• HHS final ruling, Section 504 (this website)
• Section 1557. Section 1557 Final Rule: FAQ (webpage) Section 1557 is the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The final rule requires effective communication, including through the provision of appropriate auxiliary aids and services.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (5/6/2024).  Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities, Auxiliary aids and services.
• DOJ
  • (4/14/23) U.S. Attorney’s Office Reminds Healthcare Providers of ADA’s Effective Communication Requirements (webpage)
  • (4/13/23) Dear Colleagues Letter (3 pages, pdf)
  • (updated 2014). Justice Department Announces Americans with Disabilities Act Barrier-free Health Care Initiative by US Attorney’s Offices Nationwide (webpage)
• ADA.gov, telehealth topic

ADA settlements

• ADA settlements, including medical (this website)