Have you been Out2Enroll?
Special to The Gayly
by Katie Keith
Steering Committee, Out2Enroll
Millions of Americans have already enrolled in new health insurance options thanks to health reform, and millions more have the opportunity to do so before the March 31st deadline. With new affordable options, our friends and family members are able to access quality health care, security, and peace of mind, many for the first time. As a result, the Affordable Care Act represents a new era for those of us who are LGBT, and now is the best time in history to get covered.
For many in our community, access to health care might not seem like as much of a priority as, say, marriage equality or employment nondiscrimination. But health is--or at least should be--an LGBT equality issue. Why? Because the LGBT community faces health disparities in areas like obesity, smoking, cancer screening, and HIV. And LGBT people are disproportionately likely to be uninsured and to face barriers to quality health care such as poor treatment by health care providers or inequitable policies and practices in health care facilities.
But, with health reform, many of these barriers have been eliminated. Previously, same-sex couples were often treated unfairly and denied partner coverage. Now, same-sex spouses can apply for financial assistance together through healthcare.gov, even in Oklahoma.
Before the Affordable Care Act, insurers could refuse to cover people who are transgender, calling it a preexisting condition. Now, every American is guaranteed access to a health insurance plan, regardless of gender identity, and regardless of any preexisting conditions.
The law also includes expansive nondiscrimination protections, which make it illegal for insurance companies or marketplaces to discriminate against LGBT people. And insurers are not allowed to sell health plans with benefits that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Beyond these legal protections, health reform is making insurance affordable to many LGBT people who simply couldn’t afford it. Now, individuals whose income is between $15,282 and $45,960 (or between $31,322 and $94,200 for a family of four) may be eligible for financial help to purchase health insurance through the marketplace. So far, the vast majority of people who have enrolled in a new plan have qualified for some financial assistance.
Investing in a health plan also provides increased financial security by protecting you from the unexpected. If you or a family member gets sick, you can focus on the care that is needed without having to worry about whether you’re covered or not. Every plan in the marketplace has to cover a minimum set of benefits, known as essential health benefits, which include doctor visits, hospital stays, preventive care, prescription drugs, and mental health services.
To spread the word about how LGBT people can benefit from getting covered, Out2Enroll is hosting a town hall meeting with Oklahomans for Equality, PFLAG-Tulsa Chapter, Cimarron Alliance Equality Center, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, HOPE, The Equality Network, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Tulsa CARES, Family Safety Center, Phillips Theological Seminary, Interfaith Alliance of Tulsa, Domestic Violence Intervention Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Policy experts and representatives from the White House and HHS will be there to provide information and answer questions about getting enrolled. It will be held at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm on Wednesday, March 19th. We hope to see you there.
Health reform has provided greater opportunity than ever before for LGBT people to get insured and stay healthy. Now is the time to get covered.
If you can not attend, but have questions or need to enroll, visit www.out2enroll.org.
Published - The Gayly, March 12 @ 9:25pm.