Health Insurance for LGBTQ+ Employees-Indian firms Embracing Diversity

Posted on: Apr 27, 2022 | | Written by:

Health Insurance for LGBTQ+ Employees-Indian firms Embracing Diversity

The world is changing, and people are becoming more introspective about their attitudes. And society is becoming more accepting of personal choices and helping in rewriting social norms. From the judiciary decriminalising archaic laws to the corporate sector taking the lead in the creation of a more inclusive space, conscious efforts are being made to weed out any form of discrimination against the members of the LGBTQ+ community. And we are not talking just about gestures of verbal support, but real steps are being taken. Indian firms extending medical insurancecovers to LGBTQ+ employees and their partners is a shining example of that. Let’s discuss more about it.

Role of India Inc. in Healthcare Inclusion of LGBTQ Community

It’s not just American and European firms that have a massive presence in India that are doing their bit to foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Our home-grown companies are not far behind. You may have noticed how often we are reminded by our leaders that we must use gender-neutral words when addressing our colleagues or we need to be aware of the pronouns we are using for everyone. They have drafted policies, not mere guidelines, which act as strict codes of conduct and guarantee the same benefits to all employees, irrespective of their gender identity.

Now, if you are a cis gender, you must have seen how the medical insurance plan offered by your company also includes your spouse. But did you ever think about what would be the case for a colleague who has a same-sex partner? Well, the HR department and DEI teams did. And today, companies offer medical benefits that provide coverage to an employee’s same-sex partner as well, just like the benefits are extended to the spouse of a heterosexual employee.

And not only that, but companies are also providing benefits like:

• Adoption leave because LGBTQ+ employees might also want to raise a child

• Compassionate leave, in case of a family member’s demise, and a same-sex partner is included in the definition of family

• Free counselling sessions as members of the LGBTQ+ community face daily challenges that we aren’t fully aware of

Such policies also ensure that there is a safe space for LGBTQ+ employees to come out instead of continuing to hide their identity. From Godrej to Accenture and from Tata to Tech Mahindra, companies are playing their part in the creation of such safe spaces with their policies.

Health Insurance for LGBTQ Community in India

For years, homosexuality has been considered a mental illness that was considered curable with medicine or therapies. Such attitude, not only from the society, but also from family members, caused the LGBTQ+ community members to keep their gender identity a secret and never seek medical care when they struggled with depression and anxiety. Times are changing for good now, though. However, the pace might be a little slow.

So, whether your company provides medical insurance or not, you must get it for yourself. The simple reason is that the cost of healthcare facilities is rapidly rising. And a health plan can get you the best treatment possible without draining your savings. Some health issues might also be specific to your gender identity and sexual orientation, and you need to discuss that with the doctor confidently. You may want to seek hormone therapy or sex reassignment surgery as well. The hospital visit could even be due to mental or physical health because of abuse, by others or during attempts of self-harm. Plus, you may need help to maintain good sexual and reproductive health.So, in case you haven't bought one already, make sure to buy a comprehensive medical insurancepolicy as you start your budget planning for this financial year.

Conclusion

As you can see, healthy inclusive policies and a progressive company culture can surely drive a mindset shift where cisgender employees will address their unconscious biases and LGBTQ+ employees will find the respect, understanding and equal opportunity that they deserve. Offering medical insurance policies has already set the tone for that change.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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