Health Care Reform Now

Like all Americans, LGBT people have seen health care costs skyrocket and insurance get priced beyond the reach of many working people. Even people who can afford insurance can wake up to find that they're no longer covered by huge companies who only care about the bottom line. In most of the country where our relationships aren't recognized, LGBT families are especially at risk because our partners and children aren't covered by employer health insurance plans. LGBT people often face unfair barriers to accessing even routine health care.

The current system is broken.

Too many people go without care when they need it. Affordable, quality health care is important. Make sure that your voice is heard above the noise from wealthy insurance companies and their lobbyists.

Please contact your Senators and Representatives in Congress to tell them that you want to see health care reform that makes a difference for all of us. Ask them to support the President's Health Care Reform plan to bring security and stability to Americans.

Tell me more

Talking Points

How Many Americans Are Uninsured?

Several studies estimate the number of uninsured Americans. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 46 million Americans, or 18 percent of the population under the age of 65, were without health insurance in 2007, their latest data available.
Nearly 90 million people, about one-third of the population below the age of 65 spent a portion of either 2007 or 2008 without health coverage.

How Does Being Uninsured Harm Individuals and Families?

Studies estimate that the number of excess deaths among uninsured adults age 25-64 is in the range of 22,000 a year. This mortality figure is more than the number of deaths from diabetes (17,500) within the same age group.
On average, the uninsured are 9 to 10 times more likely to forgo medical care because of cost and twice as likely to have medical debt.
Over the last decade, disparities between the uninsured and insured widened in access to a usual source of care, annual check-ups, and preventive care, and are the greatest in disparities and are growing.

How Are LGBT People Affected?

Access to Care
- Employer-based coverage doesn't cover same-sex partners in most states and localities
- The lack of inclusive non discrimination policies results in a high rate of unemployment in the transgender community and reduces access to insurance coverage.
LGBT Individuals and Families Invisible to Policy-Makers
- The terms "family", "parent", and "spouse" are commonly used to exclude LGBT families on the basis of a lack of access to the rights and benefits of legal marriage.
- Same-sex partners who have entered into domestic partnerships and civil unions should be able to access healthcare through programs designed to cover families, such as the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
A Community at Risk for Pre-Existing Conditions
- Many transgender individuals with a previous diagnosis or history of treatment for transsexualism report being excluded outright from purchasing even basic individual coverage for routine care.
- LGBT individuals are less likely overall to have accessed ongoing preventive healthcare or early diagnostic services, leading to untreated conditions.

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I've been watching the coverage about health care all summer. Now that Congress is back in session, I want you to support the President's health care reform.  Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and our families, like all other Americans, have seen it get harder and harder for anyone to get affordable, quality health coverage.

I want you to take the necessary steps to fix our broken system.  There's no way that a country as great as ours should allow nearly 50 million people to go under- or uninsured. It's not right.  It's not fair.

LGBT people face even greater barriers when it comes to getting access to health care. We all need: coverage we can afford, comprehensive benefits we can count on,the choice of a private or public health insurance plan, and equal access to quality care.

Support the President's Health Care Reform by voting for it this session. This plan offers stability to people who have insurance, security for people who don't have insurance now, and a way to get control on rising health care costs.

Please don't allow big business and special interests to keep affordable, quality health care choices out of the reach of all Americans.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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