PRIDE Month — Our commitment to the LGBTQ community
Our mission is to help people live healthier lives regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. As we celebrate PRIDE Month, we recognize the challenges the LGBTQ community faces when it comes to health care and we reaffirm our commitment to providing coverage that meets the unique needs of our members.
We are proud to provide coverage that may include physician office visits, mental health services, prescription drugs and gender affirmation surgery to address gender dysphoria, as well as additional services which may be required by state and federal law. In addition, we are committed to maintaining coverage levels and continue to explore new ways to better serve our LGBTQ members. This includes providing access to the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association provider search tool. That resource connects members with physicians and other care providers who understand and can address their unique needs.
In addition to maintaining existing coverage levels, our commitment also includes strong non-discrimination policies and notices. This builds on the work we have done to support our LGBTQ members and reflecting our steadfast values, as both an insurer and employer.
LGBTQ equality
UnitedHealth Group (UHG) is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment for team members, customers, communities and partners. For the second year in a row, the company has earned a perfect 100% rating as one of the best places to work for LGBTQ equality in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index (CEI).
The 2020 CEI rating underscores UnitedHealth Group’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, noted Patricia Lewis, chief human resources officer for UnitedHealth Group. “The unique life experiences of our 325,000 employees — and their differences — are one of the greatest assets we bring to the millions of people we serve every day.”
Addressing health disparities
According to the National Institutes of Health, “health disparities are differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States."
UHG has supported efforts to reduce health disparities for over two decades through our continuous work to identify, address and monitor health disparities associated with age, gender, address, race and ethnicity, language and disability.
UHG’s efforts acknowledge and support culturally competent care, including:
Analytics
Integrating member age, gender, address, race/ethnicity and language data with clinical data to identify any disparities in care that are associated with member demographics.
Staff cultural competence
Providing clinical and non-clinical cultural competency training to staff to create an awareness of the unique needs of members from various cultures resulting in the delivery of more personalized service.
Tailored outreach
Customizing member materials and engagement strategies based on identified unique cultural needs and gaps in care.
Provider support
Fostering culturally competent care by our contracted providers.
These efforts and more are helping us address barriers that impact peoples’ ability to get the care they need and live healthier lives.