Tufts Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Collab Boosts Access to LGBTQ+ Care

Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care have partnered with a connected healthcare delivery platform to improve access to LGBTQ+ care for commercial health plan members.

The collaboration between the Point32Health companies and the digital platform, Included Health, allows members access to integrated, comprehensive care through Included Health’s LGBTQ+ Health services.

“Our work with Included Health reaffirms our commitment to supporting the care needs of our health plan members within the LGBTQ+ community,” Peter Bell, director of commercial strategy and innovation at Point32Health, said in the press release.

The service provides members with personalized healthcare support and benefit navigation. In addition, LGBTQ+ care coordinators can help connect members to in-network gender-affirming physical and mental healthcare, behavioral health services, and community support groups.

Past research has shown that 40 percent of LGBTQ+ individuals experience discrimination in a healthcare setting, the press release stated. This may lead to individuals postponing or forgoing care.

Fully insured commercial members of Tufts Health Plan have had access to the LGBTQ+ Health services since January 1, 2023. Fully insured commercial members of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care’s health plans will have access to the care services later in 2023.

The health plans merged in 2021 to form the parent organization Point32Health, but the payers still offer separate plans in the marketplace.

The entity’s latest partnership aims to ensure that LGBTQ+ health plan members have adequate access to relevant, quality healthcare.

According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), the LGBTQ+ population faces higher rates of chronic disease, mistreatment from providers, and care access barriers than their non-LGBTQ+ peers.

Public and private health plans play a key role in facilitating care access for LGBTQ+ members.

For example, in October 2022, SCAN Health Plan worked with Included Health to launch a Medicare Advantage plan for older adults in the LGBTQ+ community. Members can access on-demand virtual care and care navigation benefits such as peer support and community advocacy.

Additionally, CareSource recently aimed to address social determinants of health barriers by donating $1 million to a nonprofit senior living organization in Ohio to create a residential community designed for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies.

Nearly half of all LGBTQ+ couples face discrimination when searching for housing. Once the residential community is complete, it will include an apartment building with 126 units and community spaces for individuals ages 55 and older.