In an effort to improve healthcare access for members of the LGBTQ+ community, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care have partnered with the virtual care and navigation platform Included Health.
based in San Francisco A key component of the arrangement is Included Health’s LGBTQ+ Health service, which acts as a mentor and advocate for members of the community by providing them with individualised health benefit support and navigation. Members of health plans have access to a dedicated team, lead by LGBTQ+ care coordinators, who may put them in touch with in-network affirming care as well as other advantages that go beyond the realm of conventional healthcare, like relevant social support groups.
Peter Bell, Director of Commercial Strategy & Innovation at Point32Health, which owns the health plans, stated that “our cooperation with Included Health confirms our commitment to addressing the care requirements of our health plan members within the LGBTQ+ community.”
As of January 1, fully insured commercial Tufts Health Plan members will have access to Included Health’s LGBTQ+ Health services to get additional, individualised support. Later in the year, anyone covered by fully insured commercial health plans offered by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care will have access to these services.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care not only offers LGBTQ+ Health but also gives its commercial health plan customers access to Doctor On Demand by Included Health for virtual primary care and urgent care.
According to research, 40% of LGBTQ+ people have experienced discrimination in a healthcare setting. Colin Quinn, president of Communities at Included Health, described this statistic as “a crushing reality that too frequently ends in care deferral or avoidance.” We are excited to work with a cutting-edge health plan that values providing holistic care to all people.
The action continues the trend of offering the LGBTQ+ community additional resources and assistance. A prime example is the Medicare Advantage company SCAN Health Plan, which is well-known for its emphasis on older adults. In October, the company announced the launch of a plan specifically for LGBTQ+ seniors, a group that the organisation claimed has “typically been overlooked and underserved by our healthcare system.”
SCAN Affirm, a programme designed in partnership with Included Health for LGBTQ+ people, was developed with their help.
Members of SCAN Affirm will receive assistance through Included Health’s Communities initiative. For underserved groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community, Included Health Communities offers a platform for care coordination and healthcare navigation.
The platform aims to increase members’ faith in healthcare, linkages to high-quality affirming care, healthcare literacy, and confidence while decreasing care avoidance in order to improve care equity. Members will also have access to Included Health’s “culturally accepting” behavioural health services and on-demand virtual appointments, according to the company.
