The final version of healthcare reform legislation passed by Congress did not include any of the LGBT-specific measures for which groups like the Human Rights Campaign and National Lesbian & Gay Task Force had lobbied.

“While the specific needs of LGBT people were not, in the end, addressed in this historic health reform effort, HRC will continue to push Congress and the administration to take these important steps to protect the health and well-being of our community,” Brian Moulton, HRC chief legislative counsel, wrote March 22.

LGBT groups had wanted health care reform to include measures to end the taxation of domestic partner benefits, expand early treatment of HIV, and include LGBT-specific questions on federal health surveys, among others.

“For example, how our families are legally defined greatly affects the costs of and access to coverage, and compounds the impact experienced by the thousands of people of color who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender,” NGLTF Executive Director Rea Carey noted.