New Social Science Research from Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California Described (Insurance companies’ lack of LGBTQ+ affirmation: discrimination, distrust, and dissatisfaction among LGBTQ+ people): Science – Social Science

2025 AUG 06 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Data detailed on social science have been presented. According to news originating from Los Angeles, California, by NewsRx editors, the research stated, “IntroductionLGBTQ+ individuals have historically faced and continue to experience stigma and discrimination in various areas, including healthcare.”

The news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California: “There is very limited data regarding LGBTQ+ people’s perceptions of their health insurer and health insurer workers. MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was conducted with a national sample of United States residents, who responded to questions about their healthcare, including experiences with their health insurer and health insurer workers. ResultsCompared to cisgender, heterosexual people (n = 1,400), LGBTQ+ people (n = 1,234) reported significantly poorer experiences with their health insurer, including being dissatisfied with their health insurer; believing their health insurer is not their advocate; distrusting their health insurer; not knowing what is covered in their health plan; being dissatisfied with providers in their health plan; and not believing their health insurer meets their needs. Additionally, compared to cisgender, heterosexual people, LGBTQ+ people conveyed poorer experiences with health insurer workers, including health insurer workers not addressing them by their names; not being comfortable when interacting with them; not being coordinated; misgendering them; and being discriminatory toward them. DiscussionLGBTQ+ communities continue to face significant healthcare disparities, including stigma and discrimination from health insurers and health insurer workers.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Longitudinal dedication to LGBTQ+ education, advocacy, and institutional reform is necessary to dismantle the entrenched discrimination in health insurer environments and create more equitable, supportive environments for all LGBTQ+ people.”

For more information on this research see: Insurance companies’ lack of LGBTQ+ affirmation: discrimination, distrust, and dissatisfaction among LGBTQ+ people. Frontiers in Sociology, 2025,10. (Frontiers in Sociology - http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/sociology). The publisher for Frontiers in Sociology is Frontiers Media S.A.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1569519.

Our news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Dustin Z. Nowaskie, Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Additional authors for this research include Dehandra Blackwood, Frank Garcia, Jorge D. Flautero.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)