California
San Francisco Health Commission Votes to Provide Equal Health Care Access to Transgender Patients Covered by Healthy SF
SAN FRANCISCO -- In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the San Francisco Health Commission- the governing and policy-making body of the Department of Public Health- announced its intent to implement the recommendations set forth in a resolution authored by Supervisor Scott Wiener and passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors last month which would remove transgender exclusions from the Healthy San Francisco (Healthy SF) health access program.
Healthy SF currently excludes transgender patients from accessing medically necessary transition-related care that is available to non-transgender patients. Transition-related care has been deemed medically necessary by the American Medical Association and numerous other professional health organizations. The removal of these exclusions follows a growing trend in government, educational institutions, and corporate America toward inclusion of health coverage for the medical needs of transgender people. The cities of San Francisco and Berkeley have already removed such exclusions for city employees.
Masen Davis, the Transgender Law Center's Executive Director, said;
“Removing these exclusions will make a real difference in the lives of transgender San Franciscans, especially those who struggle to make ends meet. I am grateful for the leadership of our HEALTH Council members, Supervisor Weiner, and many others who have all worked together to make this happen.”
The San Francisco HEALTH Council, a group of community advocates convened by Transgender Law Center and Lyon Martin Health Services’ collaborative program Project HEALTH, has been working since 2010 to have transgender exclusions removed from Healthy SF.
“I am filled with hope and gratitude that we are achieving this level of support for the well-being of the transgender community”, said Kathryn Steuerman, who is a member of the HEALTH Council.
“Although I was fortunate enough to obtain medical coverage through my employers over the years, the exclusion of transition-related care from these insurance policies left me with no choice other than to utilize credit in order to obtain the care I truly needed.
As a result, I was forced to go into deep debt from which it has been very difficult to emerge. Sadly, many of my peers do not even have access to the credit which allowed me to finally access this life-restoring care.”
A Transgender Law Center report, The State of Transgender California, found that transgender Californians experience unemployment and poverty at rates twice the state average, 42% have delayed seeking health care because they could not afford it, and 26% report health conditions had worsened because they postponed care.
Oregon
Democrat Tina Kotek positioned to become Oregon’s first openly-lesbian House speaker
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| Oregon House Leader Tina Kotek via KATU.com |
NORTH PORTLAND, OR -- After fiercely contested races around the state, Democrats are poised to take over Oregon’s House of Representatives with a 34-26 majority breaking the previously evenly split legislative body, that saw a 30-30 tie in Salem, the state's capital, as well as opening the door to the ascension of openly lesbian House Democratic Leader Tina Kotek to the Speaker's chair.
The path was cleared for the third term lawmaker, who represents North Portland, as current House House Co-Speaker Arnie Roblan, (D-Coos Bay won his race for a State Senate seat coupled with victories in House races that saw four Republican incumbents in the Portland suburbs defeated by their Democratic challengers.
Speaking with local media, Representative Kotek said;
"I think anytime you have a first for a community that's looking for role models it's really important. So I know folks in the LGBT community are very excited. I think it says a lot about Oregon that we appreciate and respect diversity.”
In order for Kotek to become Speaker of the House speaker, she needs to receive the backing from her House Democratic colleagues when the new legislative session begins this coming January.
KATU Television News Portland asked when her sexual orientation would become irrelevant, to which she replied,
“I think we're getting there. We have a president who supported marriage equality and got re-elected at the national level. Every year we seen I think, more of ‘it's not a big deal’, but until we're there having people in positions of leadership where young folks can look up to I think it's really important.”
She added that Oregonians looking to across the Columbia River to see Referendum 74 passing in Washington state should not look to the Oregon Legislature to lead the charge on legalizing same-sex marriage.
"In Oregon we're a little different because we'd have to amend our Constitution to allow same-sex couples to marry,” Kotek said. “I think we're on track to do that and that could potentially be on the ballot in 2014.
“You could refer it to the voters, but it shouldn't be a legislative referral. It should be a referral that comes up from the people. Go out and collect those signatures, build the education and awareness on the topic, and then have the support you need when you go to the ballot."
Kotek said her priorities are education and job creation. And in her role representing North Portland, she plans to push for funding for the Columbia River Crossing bridge, adding she feels light rail is “an integral part” of the project.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Elects First Openly Gay State Representative
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| Courtesy of Brian Sims |
Sims, the former President of the Board of Directors of Equality Pennsylvania, wrote to his supporters on Facebook Tuesday evening:
“I’m honored by the support, humbled by all the hard work, and ready to take the Capitol by storm…a Progressive Storm!
It’s going to be a long evening as we wait for the results of all the contested races around the Commonwealth, and the nation!
I’m hopeful that when the dust settles, not only will I be joined by other out, LGBT state legislators in Pennsylvania, but hopefully dozens more in legislatures across the country, and our first ever out Senator!” Together, we have made history in Pennsylvania…THANK YOU!”
Sims had run unopposed and didn't face a Republican opponent in Tuesday's elections, however, there had been a chance that an Independent could have stepped up and announced a bid for the seat.
In Pennsylvania, three other candidates from the LGBT community were seeking election this year: Jeff Dahlander (Susquehanna County, Wayne County and Wyoming County), Chris Dietz (Dauphin) and Kelly Jean McEntee (Dauphin). Both were unsuccessful.
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