Mandates under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) took effect for physician practices this summer, and others are scheduled to go into effect starting next year, putting noncompliant practices in financial jeopardy.
“Your federal funding is tied to following them, so this is no longer a nice to have. It's a real rule with a clock and real stakes,” said Taylor Johnson, the AMA’s senior manager of physician practice development. Johnson’s comment came during a recent AMA STEPS Forward® webinar, “Meeting the 2026 ADA Mandate: What Independent Practices Need to Know.”
Issued in 2024, the mandates created new technical standards for the ADA but also delayed when they became enforceable. A set of standards for accessible equipment in physician practices took effect in July and August. Standards for digital communications were postponed by a year and now will take effect May 20, 2027, for practices with more than 15 staff members, or May 20, 2028, for smaller practices.
The equipment mandate requires at least one accessible exam table and accessible scale in a practice. It also covers dental chairs and mammography and other imaging. The communication mandate covers physician practices’ websites, patient portals, mobile apps, kiosks and even PDFs (portable document format files) and vendor content.
In addition, the mandates prohibit denying or rationing care based on a patient’s disability and demand clear communication, which may need to include supports such as interpreters or accessible formats.
“Make reasonable changes so that every patient is served in the right way,” Johnson said. She added that practices should consult professional advisors for specific medical, legal or financial advice. Finally, the rules now are in effect and apply to any healthcare provider that accepts federal reimbursements such as Medicare and Medicaid.
It takes astute clinical judgment as well as a commitment to collaboration and solving challenging problems to succeed in independent settings that are often fluid, and the AMA offers the resources and support physicians need to both start and sustain success in private practice.
That includes the AMA Independent Practice Accelerator Workshop, which kicks off today at the Association’s Chicago headquarters. The workshop—for which registration has closed—is part of the AMA Career Advancement Collective, a powerful new suite of educational programs and training will help physicians develop and advance at every stage of their career.
Noncompliance risks funding costs, lawsuits
“The reason this topic matters is because accessibility directly impacts a patient's ability to receive basic healthcare services,” said webinar panelist Scott Hundley, senior manager of U.S. product sales specialists for medical products supplier Medline. He noted that roughly one in seven U.S. adults has a mobility disability, which can create barriers to such routine aspects of patient care as getting onto an exam table if the table’s height isn’t adjustable or being weighed the scale doesn’t accommodate a wheelchair user.
“Patients may not receive the same level of care, and measurements may be skipped or estimated, and the overall experience can feel exclusionary,” Hundley said. “Over time, these barriers can contribute to poorer health outcomes for individuals with disabilities.”
To meet the equipment mandate, at least one piece and 10% of a healthcare facility’s equipment must be accessible, according to Hundley. Mobility rehabilitation facilities are required to have at least 20% of their equipment accessible.
In addition to disability accommodation being desirable for sake of patient care quality, practices that aren’t in compliance with the mandates face serious financial risks. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can pause or even end a practice’s federal reimbursements. The HHS Office for Civil Rights may investigate complaints and require changes to meet the mandates. Patients also can sue practices for discrimination, while federal and state laws provide other avenues for bringing claims.
“We definitely want to make sure that your practice is in compliance,” Johnson said. “The good news is that this is fixable, and you don't have to do it all at once.”
Medline, a preferred provider through AMA Member Benefits PLUS, offers exam tables, scales and other equipment that meet the new mandates, and they also may be able to modify existing equipment to meet the requirements. The AMA has teamed up with Medline to deliver the reliability, supply confidence and operational efficiency that small practices need to thrive.
In addition, Medline provides capital project-management services that help practices identify what changes they need to make, develop a plan for achieving compliance and manage its implementation.
“For many practices, projects can feel overwhelming, but that's where Medline can help step in and take away that complexity for you,” said webinar panelist Kiersten Johnson, Medline’s group product manager in the capital equipment division.
The webinar is part of a CME module, “Meeting the 2026 ADA Mandate: What Independent Practices Need to Know,” which is enduring material and designated by the AMA for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
The module is part of the AMA Ed Hub™, an online learning platform that brings together high-quality CME, maintenance of certification, and educational content from trusted sources, all in one place—with activities relevant to you, automated credit tracking, and reporting for some states and specialty boards.
Learn more about AMA CME accreditation.
It’s not the time to score points
Of course, medical equipment and project-management services aren’t free. Meeting the new ADA mandates may be an unbudgeted expense for a physician practice, and possibly a major expense if a practice has to replace a large amount of equipment. In the webinar, Randy Rogers, director of practice solutions for Panacea Financial, suggested options for financing changes to achieve compliance.
Founded by doctors, Panacea delivers a fundamentally different financing experience for physicians. You get a dedicated banker backed by a healthcare-specialized team—working together from first conversation through close to structure flexible, workable solutions as your needs evolve.
Panacea Financial is a financial services firm that serves doctors, dentists and veterinarians exclusively.
As an AMA member, you receive exclusive member benefits from Panacea Financial (subject to terms and conditions):
- 0.25% rate discount on practice and personal loans.
- $0 origination fees on practice loans, applied after underwriting.
Panacea offers a standard equipment loan with long-term fixed payments over a period to match the useful life of the equipment. Physician practices also can obtain a line of credit that they can tap, repay and reuse as desired, which Rogers recommended if they expect to repay the purchase within a year.
“We think that every office should have some sort of line of credit for a safety net,” he added.
Rogers cautioned against doctors putting equipment purchases on credit cards—which some physicians do to earn points—because of the cards’ high interest rates. “They can at times affect your credit scores, especially if you carry large balances for long periods of time,” he warned.
Find out more about the AMA Private Practice Physicians Section, which seeks to preserve the freedom, independence and integrity of private practice.
