Earlier this month, the U.S. Access Board announced that the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (“VA”) will adopt the new Accessibility Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment.

As mentioned in our January 31, 2017, blog post, “The U.S. Access-Board Releases Long-Awaited Final Accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment Standards,” the Access Board released its new Accessibility Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment (the “MDE Standards”) at the beginning of the year, with an effective date of February 8, 2017.

Despite the February “effective date,” the MDE Standards do not impose any mandatory requirements on health care providers or medical device manufacturers until adopted by a federal enforcing authority.  According to the Access Board, the VA—pursuant to an agreement governing its acquisitions—will require new equipment it purchases to meet the MDE Standards.  It is important to note, however, that the MDE Standards still do not currently impose any mandatory scoping standards on health care providers or medical device manufacturers because the Access Board does not have authority to promulgate rules with the force and effect of law.