HHS Reinstating Health Care Anti-Discrimination Protections for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
05/11/2021
The following is a statement by Randall Rutta, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council:
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will reinstate anti-discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, reversing a gravely detrimental policy by the previous Administration.
It’s estimated that more than 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. have experienced discrimination at least once while receiving health care, according to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in December. Everyone deserves to access health care services without fear of being treated differently because of who they are.
By enforcing the anti-discrimination provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), HHS establishes that vulnerable populations, including individuals who are transgender or other members of the LGBT+ community, should not experience discrimination when accessing health care. This is critical to protecting the health and well-being of all Americans, especially those with serious, acute, chronic, or other pre-existing conditions and those in marginalized communities.
The National Health Council (NHC) applauds this move and encourages policies that combat discrimination in the U.S. health care system. Specifically, the NHC looks forward to working with the Administration and Congress to address other policies that have weakened anti-discrimination protections in the ACA.