Health

HHS Delays Web and App Accessibility Deadlines for Disability Compliance

🇺🇸United States··Final Rule·Medium Impact·View source ↗

AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.

🇬🇧 English

This rule gives organizations that receive financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services one extra year to make their websites and mobile apps meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards. Recipients with 15 or more employees now have until May 11, 2027. Recipients with fewer than 15 employees now have until May 10, 2028. The rule does not remove the accessibility requirement, and organizations still must make reasonable changes so people with disabilities can access services.

AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.

Key Changes

  • Extends the web and mobile app accessibility compliance deadline by one year for HHS funding recipients with 15 or more employees
  • Extends the deadline by one year for HHS funding recipients with fewer than 15 employees
  • Keeps the WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standard in place while HHS considers further rulemaking

Obligations

What this law requires

high

Recipients of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal financial assistance with 15 or more employees must make covered web content and mobile applications conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility success criteria under 45 CFR part 84.

HHS financial assistance recipients with 15 or more employees
May 11, 2027
operational
high

Recipients of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal financial assistance with fewer than 15 employees must make covered web content and mobile applications conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility success criteria under 45 CFR part 84.

HHS financial assistance recipients with fewer than 15 employees
May 10, 2028
operational
high

Recipients must ensure covered web content and mobile applications that they provide or make available directly, or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, meet the applicable accessibility technical standard unless a regulatory exception applies.

recipients of HHS Federal financial assistance
By the applicable compliance date based on employee count
operational

Affected Parties

Health care providers receiving HHS financial assistanceState and local governments receiving HHS financial assistance+4 more…

Tags

accessibility,disability rights,healthcare compliance