Monday, May 10, 2021

He Has Our Backs

Breaking News

How much angst has the Republican states cause the trans community? They have created fear among us, fear that we could be denied life saving treatments if we are in an accident, fear that we will not be able to get proper care for gender dysphoria.

Biden just stepped into the fray on our behalf.
Reversing Trump, US restores transgender health protections
AP News
By Ricado Alonso-Zaldivar
May 10, 2021


WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will protect gay and transgender people against sex discrimination in health care, the Biden administration announced Monday, reversing a Trump-era policy that sought to narrow the scope of legal rights in sensitive situations involving medical care.

The action by the Department of Health and Human Services affirms that federal laws forbidding sex discrimination in health care also protect gay and transgender people. The Trump administration had defined “sex” to mean gender assigned at birth, thereby excluding transgender people from the law’s umbrella of protection.

“Fear of discrimination can lead individuals to forgo care, which can have serious negative health consequences,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Everyone — including LGBTQ people — should be able to access health care, free from discrimination or interference, period.”

Becerra said in a statement the Biden administration policy will bring HHS into line with a landmark 6-3 Supreme Court decision last year in a workplace discrimination case, which established that federal laws against sex discrimination on the job also protect gay and transgender people.
[…]
Monday’s action means that the HHS Office for Civil Rights will again investigate complaints of sex discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Hospitals, clinics and other medical providers can face government sanctions for violations of the law.
Meanwhile Fox News said…
Section 1557 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in covered health programs or activities.

The move affirms that federal laws forbidding sex discrimination in health care also protect gay and transgender people. The Trump administration had defined "sex" to mean gender assigned at birth, thereby excluding transgender people from the law's umbrella of protection.
This is still a developing story, all the newspapers seem to be feeding off of the AP article so there is much discussion yet on the implication of the policy.

My thoughts are that this will negate the laws passed in Republican states banning treatment for us. Will the Health and Human Services take action to cut off federal healthcare funds to states that ban treatment for us remains to be seen, my guess is that they will and then the ball is in the states hands. Will they risk losing billions in federal aid or will they thumb their noses at the federal government?

1 comment:

  1. Biden is the best thing to happen for trans rights in history. No question.

    ReplyDelete