Obama Extends Health Care Rights to Gay Partners

: President Barack Obama exits Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, April 15, 2010, after returning from a day trip to Florida. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a move hailed as a step toward fairness for same-sex couples, President Barack Obama is ordering that nearly all hospitals allow patients to say who has visitation rights and who can help make medical decisions, including gay and lesbian partners.

The White House on Thursday released a statement by Obama instructing his Health and Human Services secretary to draft rules requiring hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid payments to grant all patients the right to designate people who can visit and consult with them at crucial moments.