Back in April, President Obama took on the issue of a hospital patient’s right to be visited by the person of their choosing. He specifically addressed cases in which same-sex partners were denied access to their loved ones in hospital.

Well starting now, that changes–at least for hospitals participating in Medicare and Medicaid (which is nearly all of them).

Via HHS:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued new rules for Medicare- and Medicaid-participating hospitals that protect patients’ right to choose their own visitors during a hospital stay, including a visitor who is a same-sex domestic partner.

“Basic human rights—such as your ability to choose your own support system in a time of need—must not ...