ACA Section 1557 provides broader protection against discrimination based on which characteristic?

• A. Sex
• B. Age
• C. Race
• D. Disability

Answer: (A)

Section 1557 broadens protections in health programs to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. This means that healthcare programs receiving federal funds—or administered by HHS—cannot treat someone unfavorably because of their sex, and the protection often extends to related attributes such as pregnancy, sex characteristics, and gender identity in practice. That expanded scope makes sex the most broadly protected characteristic under this provision in the context of healthcare nondiscrimination, compared with the other listed characteristics. While age, race, and disability are protected by other civil rights laws, Section 1557 centers its wide protection on sex and its related attributes within health programs.