Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts LGBTQ+ care team with Included Health

Photo: Martin Barro/Getty Images

Two payers, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, have partnered with Included Health, a virtual care and navigation platform, in an effort to increase access to health care for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The cornerstone of the agreement, San Francisco-based Included Health’s LGBTQ+ Health offering serves as a guide and advocate for people in the community by providing personalized support and navigation for health benefits. Health plan members have access to a dedicated team led by LGBTQ+ care coordinators who can connect them to online affirmative care, as well as other benefits beyond the traditional health care ecosystem, such as appropriate social support groups.

“Our work with Included Health confirms our commitment to supporting the needs of our health plan members in the LGBTQ+ community,” said Peter Bell, director of commercial strategy and innovation at Point32Health, which owns the health plans.

WHAT IMPACT

Beginning January 1, Tufts Health Plan’s fully insured commercial members can use Included Health’s LGBTQ+ Health services for additional support tailored to their specific needs. Members of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care’s fully insured commercial health plans will have access to these services later this year.

In addition to offering LGBTQ+ Health, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care also provides commercial health plan members with access to Doctor On Demand by Included Health for emergency care and virtual primary care.

“Research has shown that 40% of LGBTQ+ people have been discriminated against in health care settings, a horrific reality that too often leads to treatment being delayed or denied,” said Colin Quinn, Community President, Included Health. “We are thrilled to partner with an innovative health plan that shares our commitment to comprehensive care for everyone.”

BIG TREND

This move contributes to the trend of providing more support and services to members of the LGBTQ+ community. An example is SCAN Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage insurer known for its focus on the elderly, which said in October that it would debut a plan designed for LGBTQ+ seniors, a group the organization claims is “generally ignored and not adequately served by our healthcare system. .”

SCAN Affirm in partnership with Included LGBTQ+ Health was created in partnership with Included Health.

SCAN Affirm members will receive support through the Included Health Community Program. Included Health Communities is a dedicated concierge and health navigation platform for underserved populations, including the LGBTQ+ community.

The platform aims to increase equity in care by increasing member confidence in healthcare, being connected to high-quality affirmative care, and healthcare literacy and confidence while reducing avoidance of care. Members will also be able to access Included Health behavioral health and on-demand virtual visits, which the company calls “culturally validating.”

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