Here are four things to know:
1. The lawsuit — filed Dec. 3 by the National Federation of the Blind, the advocacy agency Disability Rights North Carolina and individual blind patients — accused both health systems of violating several federal laws by refusing to provide blind patients with critical communications written in Braille, large-print or electronic documents.
2. The plaintiffs allege the health systems’ failure to provide alternative formats for sensitive communications leads many patients to experience financial and personal hardship and does not allow them to keep their medical information private.
3. The lawsuit claimed that one patient, John Bone, asked hospital officials to send his medical bills in Braille. Instead, the systems allegedly sent him his bills in print, which Mr. Bone could not read.
“[Mr. Bone] did not know how much money he owed or even to whom he owed money until collection agencies pursued and threatened him. Mr. Bone seeks to receive medical bills in Braille, so he can pay his bills without accruing late fees, enduring harassment from creditors, and having his credit score needlessly damaged,” the lawsuit states.
4. Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said in statement: “Blind people need and deserve the same privacy and independence in managing our healthcare that sighted patients take for granted. In some cases, the ability to receive information in formats we can use can make a life-or-death difference. With today’s technology, providing bills, medical records and treatment instructions in alternative formats is readily achievable, and all providers have a moral and legal obligation to do so.”
To access the full report, click here.
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