Putting the health care of millions of LGBTQ people at risk during a global pandemic isn’t just cruel and wrong— it’s reckless. Denying any American access to quality, safe, health care right now puts all of us at risk. This attack on the LGBTQ community is unacceptable and won’t stand. The Administration must live up to the creed echoed around the country - we are all in this together.
LGBTQ people disproportionately lack reliable access to health care, with LGBTQ adults twice as likely to be uninsured than non-LGBTQ adults. Reports show that many LGBTQ patients report having experienced discrimination in a health care setting, and may be less likely to seek access to care when sick.
The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, expanded broad non-discrimination patient protections under the Health Care Rights Law (Section 1557), including protections from discrimination based on sex, gender identification, and pregnancy. The Trump Administration attempted to roll back these protections in May of 2019 and was met with backlash from the LGBTQ community and their allies.
U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney
New York’s 18th District
Editor’s Note: Representative Sean Patrick Maloney is the first openly gay member of Congress from New York. After 22 years together, he married his husband Randy Florke in June 2014 in Cold Spring, NY where they live with their three children. He is a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus.