Hospital visit rule changed

In January a rule takes effect that requires hospitals receiving Medicare or Medicaid financing to drop any visitation policies that discriminate against gays, lesbians and transsexuals.

The rule will trump previous practices in hospitals that restricted visitors for some patients — particularly in emergency rooms and intensive care units — to spouses and immediate family, which often cut off gay and lesbian patients from their partners.

Others who may benefit from the policy change are widows or widowers who have no children and members of religious orders who never married.