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AHIP NONDISCRIMINATION TRAINING
HEALTHCARE ACCESS & CIVIL RIGHTS
COMPLIANCE (SECTION 1557 – ACA)
## SECTION 1: TRAINING OVERVIEW & LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
### Purpose of Training
To ensure all healthcare plan employees, contractors, and partners
understand and comply with federal nondiscrimination laws, particularly
**Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)** and **CMS
nondiscrimination regulations**.
### Learning Objectives (After completing this training, you will be
able to:)
- Identify protected classes under Section 1557
- Describe prohibited discriminatory practices in health programs
- Implement language access services (interpreters, translated
materials)
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- Provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with
disabilities
- Recognize discrimination in marketing, enrollment, benefit design,
and claims
- Follow grievance procedures and reporting requirements
---
## SECTION 2: MODULE 1 – INTRODUCTION TO
NONDISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARE
### Key Federal Laws Governing Nondiscrimination
| Law | Year | Enforcement Agency | Key Protections |
|-----|------|-------------------|----------------|
| **Section 1557 (ACA)** | 2010 (updated 2024/2026) | HHS OCR |
Broadest – prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin,
sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation), age, disability in any
health program receiving federal funds |
| **Title VI of Civil Rights Act** | 1964 | HHS OCR | Race, color,
national origin |
| **Title IX of Education Amendments** | 1972 | HHS OCR | Sex
(education programs) |
| **Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act** | 1973 | HHS OCR | Disability |
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| **Age Discrimination Act** | 1975 | HHS OCR | Age |
### Who Must Comply with Section 1557?
- Any health program or activity receiving federal financial assistance
(Medicare Part A, Medicaid, CHIP, marketplace subsidies, etc.)
- Health insurance issuers participating in marketplace plans
- State-based and federally facilitated marketplaces
- Any entity administering a health program receiving federal funds
**Penalties for non-compliance:** Loss of federal funds, civil monetary
penalties (up to $10,000+ per violation), exclusion from federal health
programs, lawsuits.
---
## SECTION 3: MODULE 2 – SECTION 1557 OF THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA)
### Core Prohibition (Section 1557 text)
> *"An individual shall not, on the grounds prohibited under Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, or Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, be excluded from participation in, be denied
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any health
AHIP NONDISCRIMINATION TRAINING
HEALTHCARE ACCESS & CIVIL RIGHTS
COMPLIANCE (SECTION 1557 – ACA)
## SECTION 1: TRAINING OVERVIEW & LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
### Purpose of Training
To ensure all healthcare plan employees, contractors, and partners
understand and comply with federal nondiscrimination laws, particularly
**Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)** and **CMS
nondiscrimination regulations**.
### Learning Objectives (After completing this training, you will be
able to:)
- Identify protected classes under Section 1557
- Describe prohibited discriminatory practices in health programs
- Implement language access services (interpreters, translated
materials)
,2|Page
- Provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with
disabilities
- Recognize discrimination in marketing, enrollment, benefit design,
and claims
- Follow grievance procedures and reporting requirements
---
## SECTION 2: MODULE 1 – INTRODUCTION TO
NONDISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARE
### Key Federal Laws Governing Nondiscrimination
| Law | Year | Enforcement Agency | Key Protections |
|-----|------|-------------------|----------------|
| **Section 1557 (ACA)** | 2010 (updated 2024/2026) | HHS OCR |
Broadest – prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin,
sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation), age, disability in any
health program receiving federal funds |
| **Title VI of Civil Rights Act** | 1964 | HHS OCR | Race, color,
national origin |
| **Title IX of Education Amendments** | 1972 | HHS OCR | Sex
(education programs) |
| **Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act** | 1973 | HHS OCR | Disability |
, 3|Page
| **Age Discrimination Act** | 1975 | HHS OCR | Age |
### Who Must Comply with Section 1557?
- Any health program or activity receiving federal financial assistance
(Medicare Part A, Medicaid, CHIP, marketplace subsidies, etc.)
- Health insurance issuers participating in marketplace plans
- State-based and federally facilitated marketplaces
- Any entity administering a health program receiving federal funds
**Penalties for non-compliance:** Loss of federal funds, civil monetary
penalties (up to $10,000+ per violation), exclusion from federal health
programs, lawsuits.
---
## SECTION 3: MODULE 2 – SECTION 1557 OF THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA)
### Core Prohibition (Section 1557 text)
> *"An individual shall not, on the grounds prohibited under Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, or Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, be excluded from participation in, be denied
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any health
