Aug. 13, 2024
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule Aug. 9, updating the regulation for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment (MDE) requirements for state and local entities, including public hospitals and public college/university health systems. DOJ also released a fact sheet to educate stakeholders about the rule.

The rule makes enforceable MDE accessibility standards previously established by the U.S. Access Board (or Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board). These standards apply to a wide range of equipment, such as weight scales, examination tables, dental chairs, and medical imaging equipment, and contain various technical requirements for when the patient is lying down, sitting, sitting in a wheelchair or standing during use. DOJ requires that at least 10% of the entity’s MDE units of each type (but no fewer than a single unit) meet the Access Board’s MDE standards—20% for mobility rehabilitation facilities. There are additional new acquisition requirements for certain types of MDE.

Importantly, DOJ’s rule does not obligate changes that would be a fundamental alteration or cause undue financial and administrative burdens. It likewise did not implement the Access Board’s 2024 reductions to low transfer heights in the MDE standards, as these revisions were still in process during the DOJ rulemaking.

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) provided comments on those revisions.

For questions about the rule, contact Michael Peters, ACR Senior Director, Government Affairs.

Related ACR News

  • Supreme Court Upholds Preventive Services Coverage

    ACR commends the Supreme Court’s ruling affirming the constitutionality of the structure and appointment process of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

    Read more
  • ACR Drives Urgency For Medicare Pay Fix in Senate Bill

    ACR highlighted the urgent need for a permanent Medicare physician pay fix in a June 23 letter to U.S. Senate leaders.

    Read more
  • ACR Urges Senate to Reconsider Student Loan Program Changes

    ACR and other medical groups cautioned that the student loan provisions would make medical and dental education less accessible to many qualified individuals.

    Read more