DOJ Finalizes Rule on the Accessibility of Medical Diagnostic Equipment Used by State and Local Governments
On August 9, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule updating the regulation for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities. MDE includes equipment like medical examination tables, weight scales, dental chairs, x-ray machines, and mammography machines. The rule clarifies how public entities that use MDE, such as hospitals and health care clinics operated by state or local governments, can meet their obligations to ensure accessibility under the ADA. The rule adopts the U.S. Access Board’s MDE Standards as the technical standard for state and local governments’ accessible MDE. State and local government entities must also address barriers caused by a lack of existing accessible MDE. In addition, the rule establishes requirements that will help make accessible examination tables and weight scales more available.
Key Dates for the Final Rule:
- Beginning on October 8, 2024, all MDE that state and local government entities purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire generally must be accessible, until the entities have the amount of accessible MDE that the rule requires.
- By August 9, 2026, state and local government entities that use examination tables generally must have at least one examination table that meets the MDE Standards.
- By August 9, 2026, state and local government entities that use weight scales generally must have at least one weight scale that meets the MDE Standards.
For More Information:
Read DOJ’s fact sheet and press release.
Read DOJ’s final regulatory flexibility analysis.
Advocacy contact: Send an email to Linwood Rayford at linwood.rayford@sba.gov.