Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force calls on LGBT Community to tell their stories – This is her message:-

Today the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. This ruling is a victory for millions of people and families across the country who have suffered significant health and financial turmoil because of a lack of access to adequate, affordable health care.

While today was a significant victory for all Americans, the Supreme Court did limit a key provision that would have expanded coverage to low-income people through the federal Medicaid program. This setback will limit the ability to get health care coverage to the most needy among us. We must continue to press for reform to address the inequity in our health care system. People of color and the poor are disproportionately affected by poor health outcomes, and LGBT people are hampered by systemic, costly discrimination that refuses to recognize our needs or families.

The Affordable Care Act begins to address many of these inequities by mandating the collection of data so that policymakers will have the information they need to address LGBT health disparities, and prohibiting the denial of health-care coverage to people with a pre-existing condition, such as HIV or a transgender medical history. See our article in the Huffington Post here for more details on how the Affordable Care Act will help you.

We celebrate today, but we will keep pushing until our nation’s health care system is free from disparities and inequities for everyone.

It’s vital that policymakers in Washington, D.C. know the health care hurdles our community faces. What personal hurdles does the Affordable Care Act eliminate for you? What challenges would you have faced if the Act wasn’t upheld today?

Please tell us what you need out of health care reform. Your story will help us advocate for more reform – for everyone.

Today’s ruling also highlights several key points:

• Your vote helps choose Supreme Court Justices. Your vote for the president and your U.S. Senators influences who sits on the Supreme Court – which will consider legal arguments on marriage equality as early as next year. Supreme Court Justices serve for life, so their influence is much longer than the term of any president or Senator.
• The Supreme Court makes decisions that affect us all. Immigration, campaign finance rules, Defense of Marriage Act, reproductive freedom – these will all eventually be ruled on by the Court.
• State and local judges and elections matter too. We have elected state Supreme Court justices to thank for Iowa’s marriage equality. Task Force organizers and our partners will be on the ground, reminding voters that these elections really matter.

Make sure you vote in November! And when you do, don’t forget the impact judges have on our rights every day. If you live in a state where judges are elected, take time to learn about these candidates before you cast your ballot. Make sure they believe in equality.

Thanks so much for all your efforts to help us advocate for passage of the Affordable Care Act. Today’s ruling ensures its effects will soon be felt by millions of Americans. We couldn’t have done this without you. Please share your story today!

Sincerely, Rea Carey, Executive Director National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

P.S. Your story can help the Task Force push for a system free from disparities and inequities for everyone. Share your story today!