While congressional Republicans are still trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Trump administration is working to revise a provision of the law (Section 1557) that outlaws discrimination against sex and gender identity in federally funded health programs. Under the Obama administration, Sec. 1557 required state Medicaid programs to cover the vital health care needs of low-income women and transgender individuals without discrimination. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Tom Price, however, has said the department is reworking Section 1557, which would increase barriers for low-income women and transgender individuals seeking health care.

On September 14 at 3:00 p.m. EST via a media teleconference, the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights will convene a media briefing to discuss the Trump administration’s plans to weaken the ACA’s nondiscrimination provision and how it will disproportionately harm LGBTQ individuals, especially those on low-incomes. The briefing will also include discussion of the litigation surrounding Sec. 1557.

WHO : Panel of experts from The Leadership Conference, National Health Law Program, National Center for Transgender Equality, National Partnership for Women & Families, and National Women’s Law Center.

• Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO, National Women’s Law Center
• Vanita Gupta, president and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
• Judith L. Lichtman, senior adviser, National Partnership for Women & Families
• Harper Jean Tobin, director of policy, National Center for Transgender Equality
• Mara Youdelman, managing attorney of the D.C. office, National Health Law Program

WHEN : September 14 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

Media must RSVP to Andy DiAntonio at diantonio@healthlaw.org to receive the call-in number and conference ID for this briefing.

NHeLP, founded in 1969, advocates for the rights of low-income and underserved people to access quality health care.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals.

The National Center for Transgender Equality is the nation’s leading social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people.

The National Partnership for Women & Families is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, access to quality health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.

The National Women’s Law Center is a non-profit organization that has been working since 1972 to advance and protect women’s equality and opportunity. The Center focuses on major policy areas of importance to women and their families including economic security, education, employment and health, with special attention given to the concerns of low-income women.