Advancing LGBTQI+ health through better coverage

I had the chance this month to join a webinar panel organized by the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), on how health coverage can advance LGBTQI+ health and equity. ACAP represents non-profit Safety Net Health Plans around the country, and they invited me to contribute to their recent report, Safety Net Health Plan Initiatives to Improve LGBTQI+ Health Equity, and to join ACAP and ACAP member staff to discuss it.

The report highlights some existing steps ACAP members are taking to improve the inequities in health access, quality of care, and outcomes that LGBTQI+ communities face. I was also fortunate to get to craft a section outlining additional “Additional and Emerging Areas for LGBTQI+ Equity and Inclusion,” including including equitable practices for coverage of HIV medications, fertility care, gender affirming care for youth and adults, ensuring informed-consent protections for intersex children, revisiting gender-coding of services, as well as gender marker and name change practices. While all health plans have a long way to go on health equity—and our indeed health system needs fundamental, structural reforms to truly achieve it—it was great to hear from ACAP members about the steps they are taking to improve care for the communities they serve, and to discuss where we can make further progress.