Transgender Law Center Celebrates Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Affordable Care Act

SAN FRANCISCO – Transgender Law Center celebrated today’s Supreme Court Ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which includes provisions that would specifically help to ensure transgender Americans are treated fairly by health insurance providers.

“I breathed a huge sigh of relief this morning when I learned that over 30 million people will not lose their health care benefits and that provisions to protect the health of transgender people will remain intact,” said Masen Davis, Executive Director.

The ACA prohibits health insurance providers from discriminating against people based on their gender identity or pre-existing conditions such as HIV status. The law requires states to create health insurance exchanges -marketplaces for buying insurance – in 2014. Exchanges will offer assistance to individuals making between $15,000 and $43,000 per year to make buying coverage more affordable. In addition, the expanded Medicaid offered to individuals making less than $15,000 per year will make buying coverage more affordable for many transgender people and their families, who continue to face disproportionate rates of poverty, unemployment, and underemployment. Unfortunately, the Court held that each state can decide whether to participate in the expanded Medicaid program, which could limit access to care for low-income people in some states.

“We celebrate today, but we must continue to press for transgender and gender non-conforming people to have full access to affordable, quality health care,” said Kristina Wertz, Program Director. “We will continue to be involved in the implementation of the law to help ensure that transgender people are treated with fairness and dignity and have access to care.”

Studies have shown that transgender people face extraordinary barriers in accessing health care. In fact, the National Transgender Discrimination Survey conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task force and National Center for Transgender Equality found that 19% of transgender people reported being denied health care due to bias, and 50% avoided accessing care due to cost.

“Transgender Americans are one of our most marginalized populations, disproportionately impacted by social and health disparities. Access to quality health care is a right every person deserves, regardless of gender identity. Barriers to primary and preventative care only serve to exacerbate easily preventable problems. President Obama’s health care reform law will have a tremendous impact on the transgender community just by ensuring access to the basic primary care that every American deserves,” said Dr. Nick Gorton, of Lyon-Martin Health Services, a primary care provider that works with Transgender Law Center to expand access to quality health care for transgender people.

Transgender Law Center receives calls every week from transgender and gender non-conforming people who are experiencing barriers in accessing health care, including routine procedures such as blood tests and mammograms. To increase access to care, Transgender Law Center has conducted hundreds of trainings for health care providers, worked with unions and corporations to eliminate transgender exclusions from insurance policies, and helped pass California’s Insurance Gender Non-Discrimination Act to guarantee equitable, discrimination-free health coverage for transgender Californians.

For more information or interview requests please contact Mark Snyder, Communications Manager, 415.865.0176 x310, ormark@transgenderlawcenter.org

Transgender Law Center works to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.

Contact:
Mark Snyder
mark@transgenderlawcenter.org
415.865.0176 x310

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