The discrimination faced by the LGBT community has been well documented. Now, a study that pulls together data from a variety of sources indicates that some of the obstacles faced by LGBT individuals — at least when it comes to their health — may be falling away.

The report, "Health and Access to Care and Coverage for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Individuals in the U.S." comes from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Researchers sorted through and evaluated data produced by myriad sources, from the U.S. Census Bureau to research done by various state agencies, the Institute of Medicine, National Center for Transgender Equality, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many more.

Kaiser weighed the value added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Supreme Court's DOMA ruling to LGBT attempts to achieve equitable status within the health insurance and provider communities. Overall, Kaiser found, while LGBT individuals still tend to have more physical and mental health challenges than the heterosexual community, their needs are finally being recognized and, on some level, met.