Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, condemned Trump’s proposed regulation that could strip millions of women and LGBTQ people of access to critical contraceptive care previously guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Vox
reported on a leaked draft of the proposal that would allow employers -- including for-profit companies -- to refuse to provide insurance coverage of birth control on the basis of religious or moral objections.
“Trump is inviting employers to exert control over critical health care choices for their employees,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “By providing cover to employers who wish to deny contraceptive coverage based upon religious or moral disapproval, he is placing millions of women and LGBTQ people’s health at risk.”
Many in the LGBTQ community, particularly lesbians, bisexual women, and transgender men, have a real need for access to contraception for various healthcare needs including the prevention of pregnancy and family planning, as well as for the treatment of medical conditions like endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and migraines. Without coverage as part of their health insurance plan, millions will be shutout from these critical services.
The leaked regulation greatly expands the religious exemption currently available to churches and religious organizations under the ACA to any private employer in the country. These exemptions will undoubtedly limit access to care that so many in our community rely on every day.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the ACA’s contraceptive mandate attributed to 63 percent of the overall decline of out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs. The same report also shows that at 71 percent, the contraception mandate has more support than President Trump’s current approval rating.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
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