June 29, 2015
By: Aurora Harris, Houston
I was elated by the Supreme Court’s decision for marriage equality last week. For millions of LGBT Americans, our marriages will be treated with the same dignity and respect under the law no matter what state we call home.
It has been such a special experience to celebrate this historic moment with the countless friends and family who worked to make marriage equality a reality, especially those in my state of Texas, where for the first time LGBT individuals will have the right to be legally married.
As we continue working to make equal rights a reality, health equity plays a key part. Good health is complicated by a number of factors, like our access to healthy foods, culturally competent care and health literacy. So if we hope to create a fair system, we have to overcome issues like poverty, access to health care coverage, discrimination and other disparities.
I saw my mother struggle with lupus and its complications for many years. As a single mom raising me and my three siblings alone, she couldn’t get the health care she needed because she couldn’t afford insurance.
I’ve lived with that struggle, too, as an African-American and as a lesbian. I hadn’t had a well-woman checkup for several years because I couldn’t afford health insurance, and when I did have it, I found the benefits confusing.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I’ve been able to get affordable, quality health insurance that empowers me to take charge of my health. My Marketplace plan premium dropped a couple of dollars in 2015 to about $194 a month after tax credits.
It has been such a special experience to celebrate this historic moment with the countless friends and family who worked to make marriage equality a reality, especially those in my state of Texas, where for the first time LGBT individuals will have the right to be legally married.
As we continue working to make equal rights a reality, health equity plays a key part. Good health is complicated by a number of factors, like our access to healthy foods, culturally competent care and health literacy. So if we hope to create a fair system, we have to overcome issues like poverty, access to health care coverage, discrimination and other disparities.
I saw my mother struggle with lupus and its complications for many years. As a single mom raising me and my three siblings alone, she couldn’t get the health care she needed because she couldn’t afford insurance.
I’ve lived with that struggle, too, as an African-American and as a lesbian. I hadn’t had a well-woman checkup for several years because I couldn’t afford health insurance, and when I did have it, I found the benefits confusing.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I’ve been able to get affordable, quality health insurance that empowers me to take charge of my health. My Marketplace plan premium dropped a couple of dollars in 2015 to about $194 a month after tax credits.
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