WASHINGTON, D.C. — Family Equality Council condemns a new rule proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today that would roll back non-discrimination regulations established during the Obama Administration. The rule proposed today is designed to undermine existing regulations clarifying that — in accordance with federal law — the sex discrimination protections of the Affordable Care Act prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
The proposed rule would exclude LGBTQ people from the Affordable Care Act’s nondiscrimination protections, and attempts to allow health care providers and insurance companies to refuse to provide or cover services related to the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ people, including transition-related care. Similar to another final rule issued earlier this month by HHS, the rule proposed today attempts to allow health care providers to deny care to LGBTQ patients based on personal religious or moral beliefs.
“Once again, the Trump Administration is actively working to harm LGBTQ people and their families by limiting access to critically-important health care services,” said Denise Brogan-Kator, chief policy officer at Family Equality Council. “Anti-LGBTQ discrimination in health and human services doesn’t just hurt LGBTQ people, and this discrimination hurts their children and family members too. Approximately 20% of LGBTQ people are parents, and Family Equality Council has documented numerous instances of harm to children of LGBTQ-headed families when health providers are allowed to deny critical services.”
About Family Equality Council
Family Equality Council advances legal and lived equality for LGBTQ families, and for those who wish to form them, through building community, changing hearts and minds, and driving policy change. Family Equality Council believes every LGBTQ person should have the right and opportunity to form and sustain a loving family, regardless of who they are or where they live. Learn more at familyequality.org.
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Media Contact:
Ed Harris, Chief Communications Officer, Family Equality Council
646-880-3005 x117 / eharris@familyequality.org