Nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap relating to health care for handicapped infants--Office of the Secretary, HHS. Proposed rules.
The notice of proposed rulemaking proposes to modify existing regulations to meet the exigent needs that can arise when a handicapped infant is discriminatorily denied food or medically indicated treatment. Several current regulatory provisions are proposed to be modified to allow timely reporting of violations, expeditious investigation, and immediate enforcement action when necessary to protect a handicapped infant whose life is endangered by discrimination in a program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Recipients that provide health care to infants would be required to post a conspicuous notice in locations that provide such care. The notice would describe the protections under federal law against discrimination toward the handicapped, and would provide a contact point in the Department of HHS for reporting violations immediately by telephone. Notice and complaint procedures have been effective instruments for deterrence and enforcement in a variety of civil rights contexts. The Secretary believes that the proposed rule provides the best means to ensure that violations can be reported in time to save the lives of handicapped infants who are denied food or are otherwise imperiled by discrimination in the provision of health care by federally assisted programs or activities.
D000013:Congenital Abnormalities; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005065:Euthanasia; D005066:Euthanasia, Passive; D035082:Federal Government; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D028743:Professional Misconduct; D014481:United States; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services; D028761:Withholding Treatment