052: Health Care Discrimination – Your Rights and System Gaps

It is an unfortunate fact that discrimination is rampant in health care settings across the US. According to a 2020 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association, one in five people reported that they have experienced discrimination in the healthcare system, and 72% of those surveyed indicated they experienced discrimination more than once. Thankfully, there’s a federal rule on the books that protects our right to respectful, equitable health care treatment. Join us with Madeline Morcelle, a senior attorney at the National Health Law Program, as she explains the impact of the final rule, Section 1557, and how it protects and empowers us.  

In this episode, you’ll learn:  

• The significance of Section 1557 in prohibiting discrimination based on sex, race, national origin, disability, gender identity, and age. 

• How recent changes to the final rule impact the enforcement of these protections. 

• Real-world examples of intersectional discrimination, especially in maternal health and medication access. 

• Practical advice on filing healthcare discrimination complaints with the federal government. 

• The importance of institutional reforms and public awareness in dismantling healthcare biases. 

More about Madeline Morcelle, J.D., M.P.H.:

Madeline T. Morcelle, J.D., M.P.H., is a senior attorney at the National Health Law Program, where she champions reproductive health equity and justice in efforts to expand, implement, and enforce federal Medicaid eligibility and nondiscrimination requirements. For more than a decade, she has advocated, provided legal counsel, and crafted public policies to foster equitable health care access, defend and advance civil rights, and fight health inequities for and with low-income and underserved communities. She centers her practice on addressing barriers to care affecting Black, Latine, and other people of color, people with chronic health conditions, immigrants, and people at the intersections of these identities.