It’s harder for LGBTQ+ adults to access and afford necessary healthcare, this according to a new study which also found an alarming number of people in the community postpone or skip appointments altogether, with negative results.
An analysis of 2,640 LGBTQ+ adults—including 52% who identify as bisexual, 21% as gay men, 9% as lesbian women, 9% as transgender, and 9% who use some other term to identify themselves—was released in August 2026 by the research non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation.
The study determined that adults in the LGBTQ+ community “face significantly greater challenges accessing and affording health care compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers,” with 58% of those surveyed saying they were more likely to skip or postpone needed care in the past year. That number is compared against 38% in the non-LGBTQ+ community.
Of those who did make it to their visits, 30% of them then struggled to pay their bills—compared to 21% non-LGBTQ+ adults—while 22% decided to forego prescription meds due to the cost.
Cost was an issue overall, with the study determining that LGBTQ+ adults were nearly twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to skip or delay care for financial reasons. Those cost-related issues were more prominent amongst the trans community, younger LGBTQ+ adults, and those without high incomes or health insurance.
The strain to pay medical bills led to 19% of those surveyed to cut back on food or clothing to help cover the costs. Many also skipped doses of their medication, cut their pills in half, or simply didn’t refill their prescriptions altogether because of the cost.
Even those with health insurance struggled more compared to their counterparts.
The study found that LGBTQ+ adults had higher rates of insurance companies denying coverage for recommended care, with 32% compared to 26% of non-LGBTQ+ adults. LGBTQ+ adults also experienced higher rates of insurance companies delaying their ability to receive treatment or medication than non-LGBTQ+ adults, with 30% compared to 17%. These burdens were especially true for the trans community.
All of this, unsurprisingly, is not good for one’s health. Per the study, 29% of those polled said their health got worse after skipping or delaying care—a rate that doubles the 14% reported by non-LGBTQ+ adults in the same boat.
While these are all pretty alarming statistics, it’s important to know that there are resources available to those in the LGBTQ+ community who need help.
Many local LGBT community centers provide services to LGBTQ+ community members and those living with HIV.
The NYC Health Map is a great resource to consult to find LGBTQ+-knowledgable providers with experience in primary care, sexual health care, gender affirming care, and testing. The Callen-Lorde Community Health Care Center, meanwhile, promises to offer “excellent comprehensive care, provided free of judgment and regardless of ability to pay.”
On the West Coast, the Los Angeles LGBT Center also provides a wide variety of medical services. They vow to work with those who are uninsured to determine eligibility for assistance programs, or offer healthcare opportunities on a sliding scale, based on one’s income.
Additionally, So.Gay has partnered with Qcare+ to bring free PrEP to all readers.
To those in need, we suggest Googling your own local community centers for more information.
