Accommodations may include, but will not be limited to the following:

Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute (MMI) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. MMI done not exclude people or the treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

MMI

• Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate with us, such as:
• Qualified sign language interpreters
• Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats

• Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
  • Qualified interpreters
  • Information written in other languages

If you need these services, contact the chief Operating Officer.

If you believe the MMI has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with the:

               Chief Operating Officer:

               Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute

               86 Thomas Johnson Court

               Frederick, MD 21702

               301-694-8311 ext. 1112

               Qdavis@cfaortho.com

You can file a grievance in person, email, or mail. If you need hep filing a grievance, the Chief Operating Officer is available to help you.

You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office of Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at:

               U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

               200 Independence Avenue, SW

               Room 509F, HHH Building

               Washington, D.C. 20201

               800-368-1019 or 800-537-7697 (TDD)

Complaint forms are available at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html

Grievance Procedure

It is the policy of Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute (MMI) not to discriminate in the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. MMI has adopted an internal grievance procedure providing for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C &18116) and its implementing regulations at 45 C.F.R pt 92, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. Section 1557 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health  programs and activities. Section 1557 and it’s implementing regulations may be examined in the office of the Chief Operating Officer, Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute, 86 Thomas Johnson Court, Frederick, MD 21702, (301) 694 – 8311, who has been designated to coordinate the efforts of MMI to comply with Section 1557.

Any person who believes someone has been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability may file a grievance under the procedure. It is against the law for MMI to retaliate against anyone who opposes discrimination, files a grievance, or participates in the investigation of a grievance.

Procedure

• Grievances must be submitted to the Chief Operation Officer, Section 1557 Coordinator, within sixty (60) calendar days of the date the person filing the grievance becomes aware of the alleged discriminatory action.

• A complaint must be in writing, containing the name and the address of the person filing it. The complaint must state the problem or action alleged to the discriminatory and the remedy or relief sought.

• The Section 1557 Coordinator (or his/her designee) shall conduct an investigation of the complaint. The investigation may be informal, but it will be thorough, affording all interested persons an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint. The Section 1557 Coordinator will maintain the files and records of MMI relating to such grievances. To the extent possible, and in accordance with applicable law, the Section 1557 Coordinator will take appropriate steps to preserve the confidentiality of files and records relating to grievances and will share them only with those who have a need to know.

• The Section 1557 Coordinator will issue a written decision on the grievance, based on a preponderance of the evidence, no later then thirty (30) calendar days after its filing, including a notice to the complaint of their right to peruse further administrative or legal remedies. The person filing the grievance may appeal the decision of the Section 1557 Coordinator by writing to the President of MMI within fifteen (15) calendar days of receiving the Section 1557 Coordinator’s decision. The President of MMI shall issue a written decision in response to the appeal no later than thirty (30) calendar days after its filing.

The availability and use of this grievance and procedure does not prevent a person from perusing other legal or administrative remedies, including filing a complaint of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in court or with the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office of Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at:

               U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

               200 Independence Avenue, SW

               Room 509F, HHH Building

               Washington, D.C. 20201

               800-368-1019 or 800-537-7697 (TDD)

Complaint forms are available at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html Such complaints must be filed within one hundred eighty (180) calendar days of the date of the alleged discrimination.

MMI will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that individuals with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency are provided auxiliary aids and services or language assistance services, respectively, if needed to participate in this grievance process. Such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing qualified interpreters, providing taped cassettes of material for individuals with low vision, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. The Section 1557 Coordinator will be responsible for such arrangements.