(Miami Herald) Three years after a lesbian complained she wasn’t allowed to visit her dying partner at Jackson Memorial Hospital, the South Florida healthcare center now ranks high in how it responds to gay patients and families, according to a report released Monday by the national Human Rights Campaign.

(The Sexist) The Human Rights Campaign has released its 2010 Healthcare Equality Index , which rates healthcare providers on their policies toward the LGBT community. The HRC’s press release was not impressed. It kicks off: “new healthcare equality analysis from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation found that no healthcare facilities in the Washington, D.C., metro area reviewed for the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) 2010 have fully inclusive non-discrimination policies for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) people.” Let’s see how our local hospitals stacked up: Six hospitals included in the survey—Washington Hospital Center, Sibley Memorial Hospital, Howard University Hospital, Providence Hospital, the MedStar-Georgetown Medical Center, and the George Washington University Hospital—are located in the District of Columbia.

(HRC Back Story) A new analysis of healthcare equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation found that the vast majority of U.S. healthcare facilities don’t have fully inclusive policies toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, but that sweeping new changes will soon dramatically alter how LGBT people interact with the healthcare system. Kaiser Permanente – one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health providers – updated its Patients’ Bill of Rights to fully protect LGBT patients and their families from discrimination.

(HRC Back Story) President Obama, in signing the memorandum last week expanding hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples, reminded us that too often we hear stories of hospital staff denying people the chance to be at their partner’s side during a medical emergency. Sadly, some people have even been forced to die alone, as their partner sat in the waiting room. The Presidential Memorandum will put an end to these sad stories, but only if we take the proper steps before tragedy strikes.

(Gay Politics) Talking Points Memo reports at least one Tea Party protester in the halls of the Longworth House Office Building today yelled “Barney, you faggot” at Congressman Barney Frank as was leaving the building this afternoon. Others in the group apparently laughed at the remark. The Hill newspaper also said at least two African-American members of Congress were subject to racial epithets as they walked from their offices to the Capitol: Rep.

(Politics Daily) Filed under: Religion , Health Care , Gay Rights , Disputations Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, facing a new District of Columbia law mandating health coverage for partners of gay employees in agencies that take taxpayer dollars, has decided to drop coverage for all spouses of Catholic Charities employees rather than be forced to insure same-sex couples. The announcement follows last month’s decision by Catholic Charities to end its longstanding foster care and adoption program because the new statute would have compelled the agency to place children with qualified gay applicants. Catholic Charities is the church’s main social welfare agency and it receives $22 million a year from the District to help run a range of programs for the needy in the capital.

U.S. Congresswoman, Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) speaks about the issues important to the LGBT community in the ongoing debate over healthcare reform.  Among many issues of concern to the LGBT community, she highlights the need for federal recognition of domestic partnerships and same-sex marriages to increase access and reduce the number of uninsured among us.  Listen to what she has to [...]

Advocate: “An LGBT advocacy group for seniors last Friday attended a meeting about health care reform held by White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett and director of public liaison Tina Tchen to discuss the needs of older Americans. Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) joined groups like the American Association of Retired People and [...]