BCBS Massachusetts expanding services for LGBTQIA+ members

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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is signaling intent to expand access to support and resources for LGBTQIA+ members through a gender-affirming care program and a partnership with virtual care provider FOLX Health.

Blue Cross said the program is designed to help members find the care and services that meet their needs during certain "reproductive health milestones," billing itself as one of the first health plans in the country with an integrated, clinical team dedicated to gender-affirming care.

The team provides personalized support and an advocate program that guides members to the appropriate care, Blue Cross said.

Most Blue Cross members also now have access to FOLX Health, a virtual provider focused on LGBTQIA+ health, which offers a variety of services including gender-affirming care, primary care, mental healthcare, fertility and diverse family building.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

Blue Cross touted its support for the LGBTQIA+ community, which included coverage for gender affirmation procedures and fertility preservation and infertility services.

It said it was also the first health plan in the state to cover facial reconstruction surgery, and the first health plan in the state, and one of the few health plans nationally, to cover vocal cord surgery and related therapy for transitioning members.

The insurer's Mental Health Resource Center, meanwhile, is designed to help members better understand their mental healthcare options and find clinicians who are right for them. And Blue Cross recently partnered with Maven Clinic, which offers tailored programs to support members through various health journeys, including diverse family building.

Blue Cross also partners with Fenway Health, a Boston-based healthcare, research and advocacy organization, to enhance the wellbeing of the LGBTQIA+ community and other underserved communities. In recognition of Pride Month, Blue Cross is donating $1 to Fenway Health to support LGBTQIA+ healthcare for every ride taken on a Pride-themed Bluebike in June.

THE LARGER TREND

The Biden Administration has also signaled election-year support for LGBTQI+ individuals. In May, the Department of Health and Human Services finalized a rule shoring up protections for youth in foster care by clarifying how states should meet their statutory requirements to appropriately serve LGBTQI+ children.

The reason HHS honed in on LGBTQI+ youth in particular is that such children, according to the agency, are overrepresented in foster care and face significantly higher levels of bullying and harassment in care than other children. 

In addition, LGBTQI+ children who enter foster care experience significantly worse outcomes, including higher levels of mental health-related hospitalizations and homelessness, according to HHS.
 

Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.