WASHINGTON, DC — Out2Enroll announced today the expansion of its nationwide coalition of 70 national, state, and local LGBTQ and allied organizations committed to educating LGBTQ consumers about the health insurance options available under the Affordable Care Act during the current open enrollment period ( November 1st to December 15th, 2018 ). The expanded coalition comes at a time when access to health care and the LGBTQ community, and particularly the transgender community, is under attack by the Trump administration.
Key partners in this nationwide coalition include CenterLink's Center Action Network, National Black Justice Coalition, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, The Health Initiative, Equality Texas, Southwest Louisiana Health Education Center, and BiNet USA, along with state and local LGBTQ organizations in 26 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin
"Thanks to Obamacare, the LGBTQ community has made remarkable gains since 2013. More LGBTQ people have health insurance than ever before — which means more individuals have access to the care they need, from life-saving HIV drugs to transition-related care," said Katie Keith, Co-Founder of Out2Enroll.
The Affordable Care Act ( or "Obamacare" ) has provided financial stability and access quality, affordable health insurance for many LGBTQ people and families. Notwithstanding attempts by Congress and the Trump Administration to repeal or sabotage the law, the ACA remains stable and strong. Financial help is available, enrollment remains stable, and coverage for LGBTQ people is better than ever.
Despite this, research shows that consumers still believe the ACA will be repealed — thus tempering their interest in getting covered. In addition, the Trump administration continues to significantly cut advertising funding and support for on-the-ground navigators to help consumers sign up, and has allowed new plans that could discriminate against LGBTQ communities. As a result, many consumers are uninformed or simply giving up.
"We can never forget that critical provisions within the ACA help address health disparities that disproportionately impact Black, poor, rural, and isolated communities across the country. Even as Republicans in Washington continue their efforts to weaken or eliminate these life-saving provisions, we must ensure our loved ones are covered, and we must remain committed in the fight to protect their health care," said David Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition.
"Now, more than ever, it is critically important that we do everything we can to get LGBTQ individuals enrolled in health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. CenterLink and the Center Action Network will be doing our part to mobilize our nation-wide network of over 200 centers and the over one million constituents they serve to get LGBTQ consumers covered right away," said Lora Tucker, CEO of CenterLink .
"This year's coalition of organizations committed to outreach and enrollment is the largest and most diverse we've ever seen," said Gautam Raghavan of Out2Enroll and President Obama's former White House liaison to the LGBTQ community. "With so much at stake for LGBTQ people and families, our coalition is stronger and more committed than ever to ensuring our folks get covered."
—From a Out2Enroll press release
Launched in September 2013, Out2Enroll is a national initiative focused on connecting LGBTQ consumers with insurance coverage options available under the Affordable Care Act. For more information, visit www.out2enroll.org .
