In response to the US Supreme Court ruling allowing closely
held corporations to deny insurance coverage of contraceptives to their
employees based on religious beliefs, GLMA executive director Hector Vargas
issued the following statement:
“We are disappointed at today’s troubling ruling. This decision opens the door to employers interfering with the healthcare decisions that should be between the employee and their healthcare provider. We are very worried about the potential implications this decision could have on LGBT-related healthcare, such as HIV and transgender-related care.
“Earlier this year, GLMA joined Lambda Legal and Pride at Work in submitting a friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court because we know all too well how allowing personal beliefs to interfere with healthcare services can result in biased care or departure from scientifically sound standards of care, and can have disastrous effects for LGBT patients.
“The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which includes the contraceptive coverage provision at issue in this case, is incredibly beneficial to the health and well-being of the LGBT community, including important non-discrimination provisions covering LGBT people. A decision, like the one today, chipping away at benefits provided by the ACA is extremely concerning.
“The attempts by the majority decision to limit the effect of its ruling are of little comfort to LGBT people and make GLMA’s educational and policy work to expand access to healthcare for LGBT people, including ensuring non-discrimination in healthcare, all the more critical.”
“We are disappointed at today’s troubling ruling. This decision opens the door to employers interfering with the healthcare decisions that should be between the employee and their healthcare provider. We are very worried about the potential implications this decision could have on LGBT-related healthcare, such as HIV and transgender-related care.
“Earlier this year, GLMA joined Lambda Legal and Pride at Work in submitting a friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court because we know all too well how allowing personal beliefs to interfere with healthcare services can result in biased care or departure from scientifically sound standards of care, and can have disastrous effects for LGBT patients.
“The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which includes the contraceptive coverage provision at issue in this case, is incredibly beneficial to the health and well-being of the LGBT community, including important non-discrimination provisions covering LGBT people. A decision, like the one today, chipping away at benefits provided by the ACA is extremely concerning.
“The attempts by the majority decision to limit the effect of its ruling are of little comfort to LGBT people and make GLMA’s educational and policy work to expand access to healthcare for LGBT people, including ensuring non-discrimination in healthcare, all the more critical.”
