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Report show disparities in insurance coverage and access to care in LGBT community

report by the Kaiser Family Foundation has helped shed some light on health disparities problems experienced by the LGBT community in the United States. Various research projects have shown gaps in healthcare coverage and utilization of services in the LGBT population.

Some key findings of the study include:

  • 1 in 3 LGBT individuals are currently uninsured, and over 2/3rd have been uninsured for over two years.
  • LGBT individuals who have insurance are less likely to be under their employer’s insurance plan compared to the general population. These individuals are also more likely to be on Medicaid.
  • The LGBT community has been found to have higher rates of unmet medical need because of cost and are less likely to have a regular health provider.
  • Lesbian women in partnerships have lower rates of breast and cervical cancer screenings compared to heterosexual women. They also have higher risk factors for breast cancer, alcohol abuse and lower likelihood of childbearing.
  • Transgender individuals are more likely to live in poverty and less likely to have health insurance, compared to the general population.

Adedotun Ogunbajo, Joint Center Graduate Scholar, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health