Why the Texas v. Becerra Lawsuit Is More Dangerous Than You Think
Most people assume Section 504 only applies to students in schools. But in reality, it protects millions of disabled people from discrimination everywhere—in workplaces, hospitals, public transit, and essential services.
📢 If Texas v. Becerra succeeds, the accessibility protections we rely on could quietly disappear.
This lawsuit isn’t just an attack on education—it’s an attack on disability rights as a whole. If Texas v. Becerra overturns Section 504, it will put basic accessibility at risk and could make it even harder for disabled people to exist in society without barriers.
Beyond the Classroom: 504’s Hidden Impact on Everyday Life
1. Healthcare: Your Right to Accessible Medical Care
Section 504 forces federally funded hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices to provide equal access to medical care. If Texas v. Becerra succeeds, this protection could disappear.
❌ Doctors could legally refuse to treat disabled patients.
❌ Hospitals could deny accessible exam tables, sign language interpreters, and communication devices.
❌ Disabled patients could be turned away from care simply because accommodating them is “too difficult.”
Many people assume the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) would prevent this, but Section 504 is stronger in federally funded medical settings. Losing it would be a disaster for disabled people seeking care.
2. The Dental Crisis for Disabled People
Even with Section 504, disabled people already face major barriers to dental care—one of the most inaccessible areas of medicine. If Texas v. Becerra overturns Section 504, this crisis could spread to all areas of healthcare.
🦷 Many dental offices lack accessible exam chairs. If a patient cannot transfer from their wheelchair, they’re often turned away.
🦷 There is no real network of disability-friendly dentists. Even though dentists are legally required to refer patients elsewhere if they can’t accommodate them, most don’t know where to send disabled patients—leaving people stuck in an endless loop of referrals that go nowhere.
🦷 Medicaid dental insurance doesn’t cover proper care for disabled patients.
- Medicaid often doesn’t include sedation, even when it’s medically necessary.
- Hospital-based dentistry is rarely covered, leaving disabled people either forced to pay out-of-pocket or go without treatment.
- Specialized clinics for disabled patients don’t take insurance at all—meaning those who need them the most can’t afford care.
The ADA’s 2018 Ethics Update: A Step That Hasn’t Fixed the Problem
In October 2018, the American Dental Association (ADA) revised its Principles of Ethics & Code of Professional Conduct to explicitly prohibit dentists from denying care based on disabilities. The updated code states that if a dentist lacks the necessary skills, knowledge, or equipment to treat a disabled patient, they are required to consult with or refer the patient to an appropriate provider.
While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) already prohibited discrimination in dental care, this 2018 update was meant to reduce ongoing disparities in access for disabled patients.
💬 Personal Experience: Despite this policy change, finding a dentist as a disabled person is still nearly impossible. It took me five years to find a provider who could actually treat me. The only clinic I found doesn’t take insurance, but they are fully designed for disabled patients. Most disabled people don’t even have that option.
📢 If Texas v. Becerra succeeds, the same issues disabled people face in dentistry could spread to all of healthcare—where disabled patients are ignored, denied care, or left with no options.
3. Employment: Protections Against Discrimination at Work
Think Texas v. Becerra is only about students? Think again.
Section 504 protects disabled workers by requiring federally funded workplaces and job training programs to provide reasonable accommodations. If Texas v. Becerra overturns Section 504:
❌ Federal employers and job training programs would no longer have to provide accommodations for disabled employees.
❌ Disabled workers could be fired or denied promotions due to their disability, with no legal recourse.
❌ Workplace discrimination complaints would become harder to prove, making it easier for companies to ignore accessibility laws.
While the ADA still exists, 504 reinforces those protections—and without it, enforcement would become much weaker.
What You Can Do
💡 Educate yourself and others – Share this post so people understand how much 504 does outside of school.
📢 Spread the word – Most people don’t know this lawsuit is happening. Post on social media using:
✅ #Protect504
✅ #DisabilityRights
✅ #AccessibilityMatters
🔗 Learn what you can do to stop Texas v. Becerra and protect Section 504
Final Thoughts: 504 Is About Civil Rights, Not Just Schools
📢 Texas v. Becerra is about more than education—it’s about the right to exist in society without barriers. If we lose Section 504, we lose far more than school accommodations. We lose access to the world
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