(Washington, DC, May 24, 2019) – In response to the Trump administration’s proposed rule on the Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, Stacey Long Simmons, Esq., director of the Advocacy and Action Department at the National LGBTQ Task Force stated:
“Instead of taking steps to ensure access and adequate coverage, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar II has chosen to damage our health care system with more cruel and harmful policies. Having just issued a so called ‘conscience rule’ to allow religious beliefs to justify denying services, now the administration is attempting to strip away much-needed nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, those living with disabilities, people seeking abortion services, and those with limited English proficiency.
According to its website the mission of HHS is ‘…to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans. We fulfill that mission by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services.’
Frankly, if this is their idea of enhancing the health and well-being of all of us, they sure have a funny way of showing it. We’re determined to fight alongside other progressive groups to prevent the HHS from further damaging our nation’s health care system.
Whether through their departments of education, housing, labor, or now health and human services, Trump and Pence have devoted themselves to wrecking the lives of LGBTQ people and other members of vulnerable communities by reversing the advancements from the previous administration.
We cannot and will not let them get away with it. We will continue to pursue our vision of a world where everyone can access abortion, reproductive health care, and comprehensive sex education. Our vision is a world where we can all access competent healthcare that not only does not discriminate but is affirming and inclusive of all gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, languages, abilities, and backgrounds.”
Contact: Sarah Massey, Director of Communications
[email protected]
202 639-6308