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Civil Rights

Individuals eligible for, receiving services from, or benefiting from programs funded through the Ohio Department of Medicaid are protected by various laws, regulations, rules and policies against unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin disability, age, or, in some cases, sex, or religion.
  
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) is a Federal law that protects persons from discrimination based on their race, color or national origin in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance. For example, if you are eligible for Medicaid or other health or human services provided by agencies or organizations that receive Federal government funding, those entities cannot deny you access to their programs or activities because of your race, color, or national origin.
 
Title VI of the Civil Rights act of 1964 allows you to be asked for racial and ethnic information. You do not have to provide this information, however, giving this information will help the federal civil rights law to be followed. If you do not want to provide this information, it will have no affect on your case.
What is discrimination?
Discrimination is a direct action, whether purposeful or not, that results in unequal treatment of people. Those applying for or receiving services funded through the Ohio Department of Medicaid cannot because of their race, color, national origin disability, age, or in some cases sex or religion:

  • Be denied or delayed any service, aid or other benefit. 
  • Be subjected to segregation or disparate treatment in a program. 
  • Be given services in humiliating or embarrassing ways. 
  • Be provided services using different rules to decide who will get help. 
  • Be limited in the use of buildings, rooms or other space in a way that denies them participation or access. 
  • Be denied access to a service because buildings or facilities are not physically accessible to those with disabilities or because there was no means of effective communication with the service provider. 
The key words are “because of.” If you are denied or delayed equal service - and you think it was because of your race, color, religion, disability, age, sex, or national origin - you may have been subjected to unlawful discrimination.

 
Please Note: There is a difference between lawful and unlawful denial and delay of benefits and/or services. Individuals may be denied benefits and/or services if they do not meet the eligibility requirements. This is not unlawful or discriminatory.

Persons with Disabilities
All persons with disabilities are protected against unlawful discrimination. Reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities may include such things as: 

  • modification of existing equipment and/or training stations 
  • provision of special equipment (for example, large-type fonts for computer monitors) 
  • reassignment or relocation of classes or other training services 
  • changing the physical layout of a training station 
  • restructuring training curricula/ format 
  • changing training hours 
  • ensuring that effective communications media are available for those with limited hearing, sight and/or speech

The accommodation techniques mentioned above are not intended to be all-inclusive. Every person with a disability is unique and will have his or her own unique needs.

Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act protects individuals with HIV or AIDS from discrimination based on their condition. If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your HIV infection, you or your representative may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights.The deadline for filing a complaint is 180 days from the date the discrimination occurred, unless there is good reason for delay.
How to File a Complaint
If you believe you have been delayed or denied services because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, or religion, you must file your complaint within 180 days of the date of the incident or treatment.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid’s Employee Relations area will investigate your complaint. If it is determined that discrimination occurred, the agency will act to correct it.  

Your complaint:
  • Must be filed in writing, either on paper or electronically, by mail, e-mail, or fax; 
  • Must name the health care or social service provider involved, and describe the acts or omissions you believe violated the civil rights laws or regulations;
    -AND- 
  • Must be filed within 180 days of when you knew that the act or omission occurred. 

Send your complaint: 

E-mail: ODM_EmployeeRelations@medicaid.ohio.gov

Fax: (614) 644-1434

U.S. Mail: 
The Ohio Department of Medicaid, Office of Human Resources, Employee Relations 
P.O. Box 182709
Columbus, Ohio 43218-2709

You may also contact:

Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
200 independence Avenue, SW 
H.H.H Building, Room 509-F
Washington, D.C. 20201
(800) 368-1019
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr

Accessibility Information
To request information or publications in an alternative format, write to ODM Employee Relations at the address listed on this page or send us an e-mail.

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