US Medical Term · administration
Section 1557 — Language Access Rights
Sección 1557 — Derechos de Acceso al Idioma
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Section 1557 — Language Access Rights |
| Spanish (Español) | Sección 1557 — Derechos de Acceso al Idioma |
| Chinese (中文) | 第1557条 — 语言访问权利 |
| Korean (한국어) | 제1557조 — 언어 접근 권리 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Điều 1557 — Quyền tiếp cận ngôn ngữ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Seksyon 1557 — Karapatan sa Wikang Access |
| Portuguese (Português) | Seção 1557 — Direitos de Acesso a Idiomas |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | มาตรา 1557 — สิทธิ์การเข้าถึงภาษา |
| Japanese (日本語) | 第1557条（言語アクセス権） |
What it means
Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act prohibits discrimination in healthcare on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in programs receiving federal funding. It requires covered healthcare entities to provide meaningful access for people with limited English proficiency, including free qualified interpreter services and translated written materials. Patients have the right to a competent medical interpreter at no cost; using family members as interpreters is discouraged for clinical encounters. Complaints can be filed with HHS Office for Civil Rights.
Related terms
Related guide
→ US Guide: interpreter rights and language accessSources
Last reviewed: September 2026