Disparities Still Exist Among LGBT Iowans

The following is an special guest blog from Keenan Crow, One Iowa’s Outreach Coordinator.

I joined One Iowa as its Community Outreach Coordinator the day after the so-called Defense of Marriage Act was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The timing was no coincidence.

Here in Iowa, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families enjoy all the same benefits and protections as other married couples both federally and on the state level. But this isn’t the end of the story. Far from it. Equality is a long journey, and marriage is simply the first step forward. The reality of the situation is that many disparities still exist among LGBT Iowans.

One of the most prominent equality issues still facing our community has to do with health care. Our surveying within Iowa reveals that our LGBT community isn’t just avoiding the doctor, but they aren’t even getting enough fruits and veggies. On nearly every measure, LGBT individuals had worse health indicators than their non-LGBT counterparts.

This is especially true when looking at the number of individuals insured. The LGBT community has higher numbers of both uninsured and underinsured individuals. We would like to see these numbers change. It is but a small component of improving health within the LGBT community, but it is certainly a necessary one.

This is why One Iowa decided to take on this educational program around the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Marketplace. This includes educating our community on what changes they can expect, what penalties they may incur, and what new benefits may be available to them.

If you have any questions about how the law impacts the LGBT community, please contact us at info@oneiowa.org, give us a call at 515-288-4019, or visit our website at OneIowa.org/Health.

If you would like to browse the marketplace itself, visit HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596.

And remember—open enrollment only goes until March 31, so the time to act is now!

This blog was supported by a grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services. The contents are solely the responsibility of One Iowa Education Fund and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department.