Obama orders hospital visit rights for gays, lesbians
Thu. April 15, 2010 12:00 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Washington, DC -
President Barack Obama has told the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a rule that would not allow hospitals to deny visitation privileges to gay and lesbian partners, reports CNN.
President Obama signed a memo on Thursday that would require hospitals to allow gays and lesbians to have non-family visitors. In the memo the president noted that gay and lesbian Americans are "uniquely affected" by the relatives-only policy at hospitals.
In the memo scheduled to be released to the public on Friday morning, the president continues: "There are few moments in our lives that call for great compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. ... Yet every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides."
The new rule will affect any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding.
For years gay-rights advocates have argued against the family-only policy of hospitals that unfairly discriminates against same-sex couples.
Read the full memorandum
Update:
Janice Langbehn, a lesbian who was barred from seeing her dying partner of 17 years, Lisa Pond, by Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida will be a guest on Anderson Cooper 360 tonight. Langbehn will share her personal experience and talk about her call today from President Obama about the memo.
President Obama signed a memo on Thursday that would require hospitals to allow gays and lesbians to have non-family visitors. In the memo the president noted that gay and lesbian Americans are "uniquely affected" by the relatives-only policy at hospitals.
In the memo scheduled to be released to the public on Friday morning, the president continues: "There are few moments in our lives that call for great compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. ... Yet every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides."
The new rule will affect any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding.
For years gay-rights advocates have argued against the family-only policy of hospitals that unfairly discriminates against same-sex couples.
Read the full memorandum
Update:
Janice Langbehn, a lesbian who was barred from seeing her dying partner of 17 years, Lisa Pond, by Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida will be a guest on Anderson Cooper 360 tonight. Langbehn will share her personal experience and talk about her call today from President Obama about the memo.