Healthcare is a right that should be available to everyone
Recently, regulatory actions were taken by Health and Human Services (HHS) of the United States “to remove nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) individuals under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.”
“Access to healthcare and health insurance can be pivotal in successful cessation from commercial tobacco use…The Affordable Care Act was instrumental in expanding access to tobacco cessation treatment and helping vulnerable populations quit smoking. Thus, the proposed action by the HHS would likely contribute to widening tobacco-related health disparities among the LGBTQ community.”
The Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT), the only tobacco research organization of tobacco control professionals, has taken a position against this action. It states, “Through the work of many of our society members and community partners, we know that cigarette smoking and other forms of commercial tobacco use disproportionately affect the health of LGBTQ individuals….SRNT believes that the proposed HHS regulations that weaken provisions in Section 1557 are inconsistent with the Society’s core mission and shared values, and will widen tobacco-related health disparities among vulnerable populations including LGBTQ individuals. SRNT has sent a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar to express our strong opposition to the proposed regulations, joining over 30 health professional associations in doing so.”
SRNT urges tobacco control professionals to “visit www.ProtectTransHealth.org, a site developed by the Transgender Law Center and National Center for Transgender Equality, to submit a comment opposing the proposed rule.”
