LGBT community seeks better health care

By Richard Moody

The Empire State Pride Agenda is calling for more Medicaid funding for LGBT health care, access to Medicaid services for transgender people, more doctors educated in the needs of the LGBT community and specially tailored health care and easier access for the LGBT community to enroll in the New York health exchange.

Last week the Empire State Pride Agenda, joined by active members of the LGBT community and lawmakers, unveiled a resolution to declare this March their fifth annual LGBT Health Month, during which they will host events to raise awareness and lobby for particular issues in health, which affects their community.

Jonathan Lang, director of government projects and community development for the Empire State Pride Agenda, said the theme for this year's LGBT health month is access to care.

Reverend Hawk Stone, a mental health provider from Syracuse, said access to care means health insurance coverage for reconstructive surgery, educating providers on the best practices in transgender health and transgender people not having to go through state mandated sterilization to change their birth certificate and get correct identification.


http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-03-11-87126.113122-LGBT-community-seeks-better-health-care.html