CMS Celebrates Pride Month, Releases Resources to Address Barriers and Disparities Experienced by LGBTQI+ Community
In observance of Pride Month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released resources that address the unique health care challenges faced by members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQI+) community. Barriers to accessing care and social determinants of health, including stigma and discrimination, influence health outcomes among LGBTQI+ individuals.
CMS notes that many LGBTQI+ individuals are reluctant to seek health care or disclose their sexual orientation to health care providers because they fear bias or disclosure of their personal information. During Pride Month, CMS is disseminating resources that highlight how providers can help address these barriers and disparities impacting the LGBTQI+ community, including the following:
- Medicare Learning Network free training – “Improving Health Care Quality for LGBTQ People”
- LGBT Partners page on CMS’s partnerships with national and local organizations helping the LGBTQI+ community
- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Education’s Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care for LGBTQ+ Individuals: Recent Trends and Key Challenges issue brief
- Telehealth for LGBTQ+ Patients resource for providers
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity
- HHS Office for Civil Rights’ Protecting the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) People page
More information is available here.
Contact: Karen Lipson, klipson@leadingageny.org