The exclusion of gender reassignment surgery from Medicare health insurance, a leading health insurance provider in the US has been lifted. The reasoning for this is that the surgery is both a safe and effective remedy for individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria. As very few people avail of the surgery, Medicare has removed the exclusion of gender reassignment surgery as the effect on the budget will be negligible. The decision was made as a result of a 74-year-old bringing a case to have Medicare cover the costs of her gender reassignment surgery.
The removal of the exclusion could lead to a positive effect on other health insurance providers as Medicare sets a precedent for the other health care providers to copy. This development comes in the light of a number of other positive developments for transgender rights in the US including the military’s review of a ban on transgender service. Additionally, a number of States in America including California, Vermont, Oregon, Connecticut, Colorado and Washington have prohibited insurance companies from excluding gender reassignment surgeries.
Click here to read a report of the development in TIME
In Ireland the new draft scheme of the Gender Recognition Bill has been published. The newly published Bill allows for the lowering of the age for applications for a gender recognition certificate from 18 to 16 years of age. The changes to the Bill have been made as a result of proposals by Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan following open consultations with the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection. Following the publishing of the new Bill, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said the consultative process gave a better understanding of “the complex issues that are being addressed in the legislation”. When enacted the Bill will allow transgender people to have legal recognition of their gender in all dealings with the State, public bodies and civil and commercial society.
Click here to read a report on the Gender Recognition Bill in the Journal
Click here to read a previous PILA Bulletin article on the Gender Recognition Bill Consultative Process.