The Justice Department today announced that it reached a settlement agreement with Selma Medical Associates, Inc. (“Selma Medical”), a privately owned medical facility located in Winchester, Virginia that provides primary and specialty care.
The settlement agreement resolves a complaint that Selma Medical refused to accept a prospective new patient for an appointment because he takes Suboxone, a medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). The Justice Department determined that Selma Medical regularly turned away prospective new patients who lawfully take controlled substances to treat their medical conditions. Under the agreement, Selma Medical will not deny services on the basis of disability, including OUD, or apply standards or criteria that screen out individuals with disabilities. The agreement also requires Selma Medical to adopt non-discrimination policies, train staff on its non-discrimination obligations, and report on compliance. Selma Medical will also pay $30,000 in damages to the complainant and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States.
To find out more about this agreement, or the ADA, call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov.