5 Long Island hospitals earn perfect scores in survey rating LGBTQ+ healthcare equality

Five Long Island hospitals have earned perfect scores on an index measuring healthcare equality for the LGBTQ+ community.

Stony Brook Medicine’s four hospitals were recognized by the 2026 national Healthcare Equality Index released by the Human Rights Campaign in May. The benchmarking survey measures performance based on "non-discrimination policies, staff training, patient services and support, employee benefits and community engagement initiatives," according to a Stony Brook Medicine news release.

The fifth hospital, NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island in Mineola, received top marks despite an announcement earlier this year that it would end gender-affirming care for teens due to the "current regulatory environment." The Trump administration had threatened to withhold funding from facilities that provide gender-affirming care for youth.

Healthcare challenges

The Human Rights Campaign report explicitly highlighted attacks on healthcare for transgender people among the challenges facing healthcare facilities in 2026, along with state legislation, federal actions and anti-diversity, equity and inclusion efforts impacting how some healthcare institutions maintain LGBTQ+ inclusive treatment.

"Even amid extraordinary pressure, many healthcare institutions are continuing to show up for LGBTQ+ patients and staff," said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, in an emailed statement.

A little more than 8% of adults in New York "identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another sexual orientation," according to the state Department of Health. Around 1.4% "identify as transgender, gender queer, gender non-conforming, non-binary or intersex."

"Disinformation campaigns driven by a small minority of politicians who use trans youth as a scapegoat for their own failures and dismantling HIV care are having a real impact on people's lives," Robinson said. "It's vital for all LGBTQ+ people to get the most accurate information we have on care across the country — and we are proud of the ways in which the HEI helps them do this."

Barriers to care

Members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially youths and transgender individuals, often face barriers to care, delays in treatment and higher rates of certain health disparities because people don’t feel safe accessing care, said David Kilmnick, founder and president of the NY LGBT Network, a nonprofit that operates community centers for members of the LGBTQ+ community on Long Island and in Queens.

"At its core, equitable and inclusive care is about ensuring that every person can access healthcare with dignity, respect and without fear of discrimination," Kilmnick said. "When people feel welcomed and understood, they’re more likely to seek preventive care, follow treatment plans and have better health outcomes."

Of 741 participating healthcare facilities nationwide, 323 — or nearly 44% — earned perfect marks on the Healthcare Equality Index designating them as LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leaders. Another 343, or a little over 46%, were recognized as LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performers.

Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside was recognized as a high performer, with a score of 90 out of 100. The facility lost points for not offering employees a health plan that covers gender-affirming care, including transition-related treatment, and for not implementing at least five recommended practices for outreach and promotion surrounding LGBTQ+ inclusivity.

Top marks, limited care

The Human Rights Campaign in its recent report included an alert signaling that "medically-necessary health care for transgender people ... is under threat nationwide," with 26 states banning gender-affirming care for teens and increasingly difficult access to care in other states.

A spokesperson for the nonprofit, when asked about NYU Langone, pointed to a segment of the alert stating that while "transgender-specific medical care is included as an important best practice," it is not required for a high score on the survey if the facility demonstrates LGBTQ+ inclusive care in other ways. The alert also notes that "healthcare facilities are operating under extraordinary legal, regulatory and financial threats related to healthcare for transgender people."

The survey for the 2026 index opened in August 2025, according to the Human Rights Campaign website.

New York Attorney General Letitia James ordered NYU Langone to resume medical services for transgender youth in a Feb. 25 letter, citing New York's anti-discrimination laws. James has joined a multistate coalition challenging President Donald Trump's proposed limits on gender-affirming care for teens.

In May, the NYU Langone hospital system received a grand jury subpoena from federal prosecutors in Texas seeking records on teens who received gender-affirming care between 2020 and 2026, and their providers.

NYU Langone did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Updated policies

Higher scores on the Healthcare Equality Index are associated with better ratings from patients and lower staff turnover, according to the report.

To achieve recognition for equitable healthcare, Stony Brook Medicine facilities have updated hospital policies and information guides to be more inclusive, and facilitated training at every level to make staff aware of the importance of respecting a person’s chosen name and pronouns, said Dr. Allison Eliscu, medical director of the adolescent LGBTQ+ care program at Stony Brook Medicine and division chief of adolescent medicine at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

She emphasized the importance of making patients comfortable.

"We’ve seen patients who have had negative experiences or been discriminated against by other outside providers and when they come in, they’re so anxious," she said. "You shouldn’t feel like you have to educate the doctor in order for them to treat you or manage your needs."

The current political environment has created uncertainty and anxiety for many in the LGBTQ+ community, raising concerns about rights and safety, Kilmnick said.

"While many people, including us, are understandably concerned ... about the current political climate, what I continue to see every day, in particular this past Long Island Pride, which took place this weekend, is people showing up for one another, supporting one another and refusing to disappear," he said.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers personal finance and affordability for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.