Joe Biden speaking at a live streamed virtual town hall event (PBS News Hour/Getty)
Joe Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to LGBT+ healthcare, vowing to make PrEP and gender affirming surgeries covered by insurance plans.
The presumptive Democratic nominee described gender affirming surgeries as “medically necessary” as he vowed to reverse Donald Trump’s attacks on trans and non-binary people during a virtual town hall event with the Human Rights Campaign on Wednesday (May 6).
He also pledged to remove the price barrier which prevents many people from accessing PrEP.
“As president, I’m going to protect and build on Obamacare with a public option,” Biden said.
“That’s the fastest way to get to universal coverage. Reverse Trump’s actions and restore Obamacare protections for LGBTQ Americans.
“And cover PrEP so that people at high risk of getting HIV and AIDS, HIV/AIDS, do have – don’t have to choose between covering their rent and staying alive.
“And make sure insurance companies treat gender confirmation surgery as a medical necessary, which it is.”
Joe Biden wants to reinstate Obama-era LGBT+ healthcare protections.
The presidential hopeful said that he would reinstate the LGBT+ protections Trump had scrapped to ensure that no one is refused healthcare on the basis of their sexuality.
“Trump has been trying to gut these protections since he took office,” Biden said.
“Anyone involved in patient care, from the board of directors to a receptionist in charge of scheduling, could put their beliefs above your healthcare.”
Biden has long been outspoken in his support for LGBT+ healthcare, and his campaign platform To Advance LGBTQ+ Equality in America and Around the World calls for full coverage of care related to transitioning.
In January he stated that trans rights “is the civil rights issue of our time” and said “there is no room for compromise”.
His words and actions earned him the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign, which gave him their backing on the eight-year anniversary of him coming out in support of same-sex marriage.
“His dedication to advancing LGBTQ equality, even when it was unpopular to do so, has pushed our country and our movement forward,” HRC president Alphonso David said in a statement.