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Despite the
tremendous progress we’ve made in achieving equality for the lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, many LGBT individuals
still face limited
access to health care and insurance, and are less likely to get the
preventive care they need to stay healthy.Thankfully, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as it’s also known, directly addresses some of these needs, by:
1.
Protecting
the right to access quality, affordable health insurance. Starting in
2014, the health care law prevents insurers from denying us
coverage or charging us a higher premium because of a pre-existing
condition or because we are LGBT.
2.
Removing
lifetime dollar limits on coverage. That means that people with chronic
diseases, like HIV/AIDS, cancer and mental health concerns,
can get the care we need. And starting in 2014, all annual limits will
be illegal, too.
3.
Promoting
wellness by requiring insurers to cover preventive care at no
additional cost. LGBT adults and teens can get screened by a health
professional for HIV and depression without paying co-pays or
deductibles. Other preventive services, like cervical cancer screening
for sexually active women, obesity counseling for people at risk, and
well-woman visits are also covered at no extra cost.
4.
Helping
more LGBT Americans find affordable health insurance. Starting October
1, 2013, all Americans without insurance and those looking for
better options will have a new place to shop for plans, the
Health Insurance Marketplace, and may qualify for lower costs on monthly premiums.
That’s why the White House Office of Public Engagement and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are teaming up to host a Briefing on Obamacare and the LGBT Community, this Thursday, September 13th. The event will include remarks by Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, as well as an exciting presentation of important new research on how LGBT communities perceive and access health care, and suggested messaging strategies for reaching key sub-communities.
And you can watch it live from home or work! Visit http://whitehouse.gov/live this Thursday, September 13th, starting at 1:15 p.m. EDT to tune in.
Gautam Raghavan is an Advisor in the White House Office of Public Engagement. Matthew Heinz, MD, is Director of Provider Outreach and Director of LGBT Outreach at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.