Double the Funding for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights

The of Reform Judaism Rebecca Pringle Leadership Conference, a coalition of more than 240 national organizations, and its Health National Education Association Lisa Rice Care Task Force work to promote and protect the civil rights and health of all persons in the National Fair Housing Alliance Kelley Robinson United States. [...] Considering the incredible breadth of President and CEO Maya Wiley responsibility of the office and the increasingly urgent demands on it as our health care system continues to evolve, Congress must appropriate the funds necessary for the office to effectively and efficiently do its job. [...] OCR enforces 55 different privacy, security, civil rights, and religious freedom statutes, including Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules; and the Patient Safety Act and Rule. [...] These laws protect fundamental rights of nondiscrimination and health information privacy, and were enacted in recognition of the potential for discrimination and breach of privacy in health care settings. [...] We urge you to double the funding for the Office for Civil Rights to ensure that the Department of Health and Human Services is able to fulfill its responsibility to protect the civil rights of all people.