Non-Discrimination Policy
Purpose: To ensure that all patients and visitors of Coulee Medical Center are treated with equality, in a welcoming, nondiscriminatory manner and consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
Policy: Coulee Medical Center is committed to ensuring that our patients and visitors are treated with a non-discriminant and equitable manner, and with the respect and dignity that promotes and protects patient rights and is consistent with applicable state and federal law.
1. CMC staff will treat all patients and visitors receiving services from or participating in other programs of CMC and its affiliated clinics with equality in a welcoming manner that is free from discrimination based on age, race, color, creed, ethnicity, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.
2. CMC staff will make reasonable accommodations for patients consistent with federal and state requirements.
3. CMC staff will afford visitation rights to patients free from discrimination based on age, race, color, creed, ethnicity, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law and will ensure that visitors receive equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences.
4. Any person who believes that they or another person has been subjected to discrimination may file a complaint using CMC’s complaint and grievance procedure.
5. CMC staff are prohibited from retaliating against any person who opposes, complains about, or reports discrimination, files a complaint, or cooperates in an investigation of discrimination or other proceeding under federal, state, or local antidiscrimination law.
Procedure:
1. CMC Compliance Officer, or designee, is responsible for coordinating compliance with this policy, including giving notice to and training all CMC staff on this policy.
2. CMC staff will determine eligibility for and provide services, charity care, and other benefits to all patients in a similar manner, without subjecting any individual to separate or different treatment on the basis of age, race, color, creed, ethnicity, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran or military status or any or basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.
3. CMC staff will provide notices to patients regarding this policy and CMC’s commitment to providing access to the provision of services in a welcoming, nondiscriminatory manner.
4. At the time patients are notified of their patient rights, CMC staff will also inform each patient, or support person, of the visitation rights, including clinical restriction of those rights, and the patient’s right, subject to the patient’s consent , to receive visitors whom the patient designates, free of discrimination based upon age, race, color, creed, ethnicity, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Such visitors include a spouse, state registered domestic partner, another family member, friend, or legal representative of the patient. CMC staff will notify patients of their right to withdraw or deny consent at any time.
5. Any CMC staff receiving a patient or visitor discrimination complaint will advise the complainant may report the problem and file a complaint without fear of retaliation.
More Helpful Resources
Click the link below to view more information on the No Surprises Act:
No Surprises Act
Click the link below to access the Plain Language Summary of our Financial Assistance / Charity Care Policy:
Financial Assistance – Plain Language Summary
Click the link below to access CMC’s 2024 Poverty Guidelines:
2024 Poverty Sliding Scale
To Print an Application for Financial Assistance / Charity Care at CMC, click the link below: Application for Financial Assistance or here for Spanish