Here’s some good news: despite the efforts of the Trump administration, LGBTQ healthcare measures are still steadily being implemented in healthcare institutions.
This was the finding of the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) after a record 680 health care facilities actively participated in this year’s survey.
Of this total, 406 of them earned a top score of 100, earning them “Leader in LGBTQ Health Care Equality” designation.
HRC checks on LGBTQ healthcare measures in the US
The 12th annual Healthcare Equality Index scores healthcare facilities on their policies and practices if they give equitable treatment and inclusion to their LGBTQ patients, visitors, and employees.
While 680 healthcare facilities took part in the survey, HRC also researched key policies of 1,000 non-participating hospitals across the US.
“As the Trump-Pence administration continues to attack the most fundamental rights of LGBTQ people, including rolling back non-discrimination protections in the Affordable Care Act and promoting a license to discriminate in health care, it is more important than ever that health care institutions stand with the LGBTQ community,” said HRC President Alphonso David.
David added: “The health care facilities that participate in HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index are making clear that they stand on the side of fairness and are committed to providing inclusive care to their LGBTQ patients.”
“Going beyond inclusive non-discrimination policies, these health care facilities are adopting best practices in the areas of LGBTQ patient care and support, employee policies and benefits, and LGBTQ patient and community engagement. We commend all of the HEI participants for their commitment to providing inclusive care for all,” he said.
Key findings in LGBTQ healthcare survey
Of the facilities that took part, 406 earned the top designation of “LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader” for receiving an overall score of 100. Meanwhile, 148 facilities earned the designation of “Top Performer” for scoring from 80-95 points.
HRC noted that “with 81% of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, health care facilities are demonstrating concretely that they are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ care.”
Other key findings were: over half of HEI participants now have written gender transition guidelines. Likewise, 75% of hospitals surveyed offer trans-inclusive benefits, an eight percentage point increase over last year.
Of the hospitals that didn’t participate, 67% had patient non-discrimination policies that included both sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, 62% had an LGBTQ-inclusive employment non-discrimination policy.
On the other hand, 90% of facilities had an equal visitation policy, almost comparable to those facilities that participated in the survey.
LGBTQ healthcare measures in the time of Trump
The HRC’s findings is a silver lining in the dark clouds of the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back health measures that protect the LGBTQ community.
A regulation proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is being pushed that would take away health care protections on the basis of gender identity.
This regulation would specifically target transgender and gender non-conforming patients and their access to critical care. Under
A healthcare regulation has also been implemented that would “protect” the “statutory conscience rights” of health care providers, modeled on new religious refusal laws used to deny services, including healthcare, to LGBTQ people.
Moreover, the Trump administration has pushed to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This would cut the uninsured rate in half for LGBTQ people.