For Providers

For Providers of Health Care and Social Services

On this page, you will find:

• Civil Rights Obligations as a Covered Entity
• What is a Covered Entity?
• Examples of programs that may receive HHS federal financial assistance
• How do you know if you are not a Covered Entity?
• Regulations and Nondiscrimination Laws Enforced by OCR That May Apply to Providers
• OCR Resources to Assist Providers to Comply with the Law

Civil Rights Obligations of Covered Entities

Nondiscrimination laws enforced by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) prohibit discrimination and require covered entities to ensure that everyone receives an equal opportunity to participate in a program activity, regardless of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or (under certain conditions) religion or sex.

What is a Covered Entity?

A Covered Entity is any entity that receives federal financial assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services or is covered under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act as a program, service, or regulatory activity relating to the provision of health care or social services.

Examples of programs and/or services that may receive HHS federal financial assistance are:

• Health care professionals that accept Medicaid or Medicare (Part A) insurance payment
• Family health centers that accept Medicaid or Medicare (Part A) or receive other Federal financial assistance from HHS to assist in providing health care and social services to a community
• Community mental health centers that accept Medicaid or Medicare or receive other Federal financial assistance either directly or indirectly from HHS to assist in providing services for adults with mental illness
• Medical schools that receive Federal financial assistance.
• Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers that accept Medicaid or Medicare (Part A) or receive other Federal financial assistance either directly or indirectly from HHS to assist and support adults and adolescents in the treatment and recovery
• Skilled nursing facilities that accept Medicaid or Medicare or receive other Federal financial assistance either directly or indirectly from HHS to assist in providing physical, occupational, and other rehabilitative therapies
• Transitional Living for Homeless Youth Centers that accept Medicaid or Medicare (Part A) or receive other Federal financial assistance either directly or indirectly from HHS to assist adolescents acquire housing, life skills training, counseling, and education and employment support
• Senior Citizen Centers that receive Federal financial assistance either directly or indirectly from HHS to assist in providing special programs for the aging
• Non-profit organizations that accept Medicaid or Medicare (Part A) or receive other Federal financial assistance either directly or indirectly from HHS to assist in implementing community health or social services or an awareness campaign
• Private hospitals that accept Medicaid or Medicare or receive other Federal financial assistance either directly or indirectly from HHS.

How do you know if you are not a Covered Entity under OCR jurisdiction in its enforcement of nondiscrimination laws?

If you receive some type of federal financial assistance from another federal department or agency but it does not include any HHS assistance, you are not a covered entity under OCR’s jurisdiction. You may also not be such a Covered Entity if you are a health care professional who accepts only Medicare Part B insurance payment. You may be subject to another Federal Civil Rights Agency nondiscrimination laws as they apply to your program or services. Follow this link to learn more about Federal Civil Rights enforcement agencies.

You may also want to review OCR's Compliance and Enforcement page and the Regulations and Nondiscrimination Laws enforced by OCR .

OCR Resources to Assist State and Local Agencies Comply with Civil Rights Laws:

• Hospitals and Effective Communication – to assist state hospitals and other health care providers meet the communication needs of persons who have limited English proficiency and as well as persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing
• Adoption/Foster Care –  to assist adoption and foster care agencies comply with regulations for nondiscrimination placement of a child
• Limited English Proficiency (LEP) – to ensure effective linguistic services and programs for persons who have limited English proficiency (includes published guidance)
• National Origin Discrimination – to assist agencies benefit applications and other administrative procedures do not deter or deny eligible national origin groups from obtaining services
• Community Services/Olmstead – to assist providers in serving persons with disabilities in the most integrated setting 
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families – to assist providers to make available their programs and services without regard to a person’s race, color, national origin, disability, sex, age, religion or political belief.
• Medicare Provider Certification – Medicare Certification Civil Rights Information Forms and Technical Assistance