June 18, 2020 – Boston, – “In these tumultuous times, when we find ourselves fighting not only a global pandemic, but also long-standing racial injustices and discrimination against people of color and LGBTQ+ people, Health Care For All appreciates more than ever the rulings taken this week by the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) regarding two important cases.
“Today, the SCOTUS decision protected 650,000 young individuals granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) by rejecting the Trump Administration’s quest to end this critical program. In Massachusetts, almost 6,000 of our neighbors will be able to keep living healthy and productive lives because of protections provided by DACA.
“On Monday, the nation’s highest court also asserted that existing federal employment nondiscrimination law includes sexual orientation and gender identity, barring employers from discriminating against LGBTQ+ workers in hiring and firing practices.
“These are rays of light during dark times, when our most vulnerable communities are experiencing deep health inequities. These decisions came days after the Trump Administration had issued a new rule weakening the interpretation of non-discrimination provisions of the Affordable Care Act (Section 1157). This change could open the door for discrimination in health care against LGBTQ+ people, non-English speakers, women, people with disabilities and others. “Even though Massachusetts has its own health care non-discrimination protections that remain intact and can help weather this storm, there is more work to be done to ensure that everyone in the Commonwealth has the tools and support they need to be healthy and thrive. Health Care For All is committed to work with fellow advocates, state and local authorities and policymakers to push for a health equity agenda that enables every resident to have access to the coverage and care they need.”