Mass. Legislature
Wants Medicaid for Gay Couples

The Massachusetts state senate passed a bill that would grant married same-sex couples the same access to Medicaid benefits as heterosexual couples, according to gay rights group MassEquality. The bill, the final version of which will be negotiated between the house and senate after resolving differences in language, is expected to then be signed into law by Gov. Deval Patrick.

Lisa Krinksy, director of the LGBT Aging Project, which worked with MassEquality on the proposed legislation, said in a press release that the bill would be of significant help to LGBT senior citizens who have to deal with difficult medical and financial decisions.

"By passing this bill, the Massachusetts legislature is not only codifying the 2003 Goodrich decision extending legal marriage and its 'protections, benefits, and obligations' to same-sex married couples in our state," she said. "It's also helping protect LGBT seniors from the potential impoverishment and homelessness they faced under current Medicaid laws."

The federal Defense of Marriage Act currently prevents same-sex couples married in Massachusetts and California from receiving federally provided benefits like Medicaid. (The Advocate)