Denied and Dismissed: The LGBTQ Community’s Fight for Equitable Healthcare - with Justin Ayars, CEO of Equality MD

The LGBTQ community faces worse health outcomes, barriers to care, and systemic discrimination in healthcare—yet their struggles remain largely overlooked.

Despite being officially recognized as a health disparity population by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), inequities persist. LGBTQ patients often experience discrimination in a clinical setting, leading many to avoid seeking care altogether. 1 in 6 are denied care and 1 in 5 experience discrimination from health insurers. Meanwhile, LGBTQ youth are 4-5 times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers.

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Ayars, CEO of EqualityMD, to discuss the healthcare challenges LGBTQ patients encounter, where these stem from, and how we can build a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.