The Fenway Institute recently published an issue brief on Essential Elements of a Revised National Health Care Policy for LGBT People and People Living with HIV. LGBT people and people living with HIV (PLWH) have disproportionately benefitted from the expansion of health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. This is also true of Black and Latino Americans. LGBT people and PLWH have much at stake in the debate currently taking place in Washington and in the country over health care reform. This brief identifies core provisions of the ACA that the Fenway Institute believes should be included in any revision to health care policy. They include:
- Requiring insurance coverage for those with preexisting conditions & eliminating annual/lifetime spending caps.
- Expanding eligibility criteria for Medicaid and other measures to increase health insurance coverage and health care utilization.
- Prohibiting anti-LGBT discrimination in health care.
- Encouraging sexual orientation and gender identity data collection in clinical settings.
- Encouraging cultural competency training.
We encourage local health departments to download the brief and share it with your elected representatives and anyone else who might find it of interest.
