March 26, 2012
LGBT Health Awareness Week is an important time to highlight the
progress our country is making to address the unique health needs of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans, especially
through implementation of the health care law, the Affordable Care Act.
Studies have shown that health disparities related to sexual
orientation and gender identity are due in part to lower rates of health
coverage and a lack of cultural competency in the health care system.
The Affordable Care Act is already helping millions of Americans gain
access to care by creating coverage options for people with pre-existing
conditions, and under the law, beginning in 2014, every American will
have access to health care through Affordable Insurance Exchanges, new
competitive marketplaces where Americans will be able to purchase
affordable coverage and have the same choices of insurance that members
of Congress will have. These same benefits are or will be available to
LGBT Americans across the country.
The Affordable Care Act also strengthens training for health care
providers, devotes new resources to improving our primary care
workforce, and increases funding for community health centers, where
patients are served regardless of how much they can afford to pay. We
know that members of the LGBT community may be more likely to be
underinsured or uninsured, making the Affordable Care Act all the more
important.
In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services continues to
address the specific health concerns of LGBT Americans, including by
working to incorporate data collection on LGBT populations into national
health surveys, releasing rules requiring hospitals to allow same-sex
partners the ability to visit each other in the hospital, and setting up
an internal working group that ensures we are effectively coordinating
policies to best address LGBT health needs across every agency in the
Department.
Our Department is committed to improving the health of all Americans,
including LGBT Americans, and we look forward to continuing this work
during LGBT Health Awareness Week and beyond.
For more information on how the Department is working to improve LGBT Health and Well-being, visit http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/lgbthealth_update_2011.html.
Read the Departments recommendations for future LGBT Health improvements at http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/lgbthealth.html
Learn how health reform is giving LGBT Americans more control over their health care at http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/01/new-options-for-lgbt-americans.html