If You Want SRS Insurance Coverage Work For These Companies

[Julie Marie]

HRC.org puts out a Corporate Equality Index every year.  They ask companies if they meet specific criterion and they are rated on their answers:

Criterion 1a Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation (15 points)
Criterion 1b Provides Diversity Training Covering Orientation (5 points)
Criterion 2a Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Expression (15 points)
Criterion 2b Provides Diversity Training Covering Gender Identity OR Has Supportive Gender Transition Guidelines (5 points)
Criterion 2c Offers Transgender-Inclusive Insurance Coverage for at Least One Type of Benefit (5 points) (+ Offers Transgender-Inclusive Insurance Coverage, Including Surgical Procedures)
Criterion 3a Offers Partner Health Insurance (15 points)
Criterion 3b Offers Partner Dental, Vision, COBRA and Dependent Coverage Benefits (5 points)
Criterion 3c Offers at Least Three Other "Soft" Benefits for Partners (5 points)
Criterion 4 Has Employer-Supported Employee Resource Group OR Firm-Wide Diversity Council (15 points) (/ Would Support ERG if Employees Express Interest, half-credit)
Criterion 5 Positively Engages the External LGBT Community (15 points)
Criterion 6 Exhibits Responsible Behavior Toward the LGBT Community; Does Not Engage in Action That Undermine LGBT Equality. Employers Found Engaging in Such Activities Will Have 15 Points Removed From Their Scores. (0 points)

So if you want to have your surgeries covered, check the list out and go work for the employers with a + in the 2c category. 

What is encouraging is the bar graph that shows a continual increase of companies rated 100%.  Next year HRC will be getting tougher on the TG requirements, finally!  THe battle isn't over but at least the progress we're making keeps moving forward.

Julie

[sarahb]

I'm curious, what exactly is transgender-inclusive insurance? I've never heard of my company actually being able to tell the insurance provider what features and benefits it'd specifically like to be covered, they just get a list of available options and we have to choose one.

Is it supplemental insurance coverage? If they get it, would they have to pay extra for the whole insurance deal just to include it for one person? I'm interested because if it's possible, I might ask my company to try and get it included so I can have SRS covered. But if they'll have to pay extra for the whole deal as a whole I don't see why companies would want to do that just to cover the rare incident that they might have a TS person someday. And what about after I get the procedure done, they'd still have to continue paying extra for that TS coverage even though they don't need it?

~Sarah

[Dawn D.]

It is truly fantastic; the progress that is being made every year! This though, I don't see as a way for me to benefit. Yet, seeing these increases in offerings from a continual increase in the numbers of organizations; the future looks better and brighter for those of us who are still finding themselves.

For insurance to be inclusive for me to has surgery covered, I think will require the removal of preexisting condition clauses from insurance company's policies as a result of the health care reform efforts going on in D.C. That is where there is some hope for most of us.

Still, I would be interested to know, as SarahR asked, how do they (companies and organizations) get insurance companies to offer 'trans' health care coverage now? My little group policy comes up for renewal in May and if there were a way to do it I'd like to look into it.


Dawn

[Julie Marie]

Still, I would be interested to know, as SarahR asked, how do they (companies and organizations) get insurance companies to offer 'trans' health care coverage now? My little group policy comes up for renewal in May and if there were a way to do it I'd like to look into it.

When your company sets up insurance coverage with a carrier, they include all area they want covered and the premiums are calculated from there.  I read once that the cost to cover SRS would be about an additional 0.3% to the premium base.  (For every hundred dollars paid it would add thirty cents.)  So it's not a cost issue, but most likely a prejudicial issue.

Julie

[BrandiOK]

The 'options' in your company insurance are set by them.  They can pick and choose what will be covered and what won't.  Like anything else in business it's based on cost.  The more options the higher the cost to the company.

Companies that have TG inclusive options have, through whatever process, decided that it's worth the extra cost to them.  The larger the company the more bargaining power they have over the insurance company also.  While a small company can choose a TG option they will probably pay more for it than a larger company and considering the relatively small number, by comparison, of TG employees it's generally passed up as uneeded expense.

Companies like to pretend that they have little choice in the coverage they offer employees, however, what they really mean is they have little choice in the coverage they offer given the amount of money they 'choose' to spend on providing insurance. Any money saved from providing minimal insurance is profit. It's not a big issue to them because corporate employees i.e. executives, managers are almost always covered under a separate more inclusive policy. 

That being said insurance companies are evil incarnate.  If the insurance companies weren't raping the american people the businesses wouldn't have to pay so much to insure their employees.  If the businesses didn't have to pay so much to insure their employees it's possible they would offer more in the way of options to employees, in theory anyways.

"Percentage change since 2002 in average premiums paid to large U.S. health insurance companies: +87%. Percentage change in profits to the top 10 insurance companies: +428%. Chances that an American bankrupted by medical bills has health insurance: 7 in 10." (Source: Harper's Index) <---This is why we pay so much and have so little health care in the US.

[FloridaTia]

Great information, my sisters.  Thank you.

Now I am wondering how I might discretely ask my employer, JetBlue Airways, if they cover transgender treatment and, if so, to what extent.  They most recenty got a perfect score for being LGBT friendly ( http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/09-14-2009/0005093182&EDATE= ), but I am wondering if that's eyewash, if it applies to HRT or if they will cover GRS.

Any tips as to how I might discover to what extent they would cover this condition shy of me just waltzing into the HR department and asking?  I mean, it's one thing to "support" a LGBT person in the work place, but the "real support" would be revealed in how they actually help the individual manage their GID condition. 

Your thoughts?

[Julie Marie]

According to HRC Jet Blue got a 80% last year and a 100% this year.  But if you look at the criterion posted above you'll see there a lot of latitude given in the transgender criterion.  Jet Blue did not have a + in the 2c criterion.

You might want to send an anonymous email and see if they reply.

[FloridaTia]

Thank you for the terrific information, but what source documents can I cite--that is, what did you reference--that I can shoot to JetBlue with my inquiry? 

I did not know that JetBlue only got marginal ratings in that category and I work for them. Adding up the points, I do not understand how they could get 100% markings while getting an average score in that category.  Is there a "score card" I can review or cite if my transmittal to them?

[LordKAT]

You can call your insurance carrier directly and ask what is covered or not and have them send a book telling you the details.







_{who said i could spell} 

[Julie Marie]

Thank you for the terrific information, but what source documents can I cite--that is, what did you reference--that I can shoot to JetBlue with my inquiry? 

I did not know that JetBlue only got marginal ratings in that category and I work for them. Adding up the points, I do not understand how they could get 100% markings while getting an average score in that category.  Is there a "score card" I can review or cite if my transmittal to them?

There's a link in the first post to HRC's Corporate Equality Index.  Click on that link and you'll see all the information you're asking for and a complete list and breakdown for all the corporations listed. 

There's also information on how they will be scoring next year, which might take some of the 100% companies out of that rating if they don't do a better job in dealing with TGs.

[HelenW]

You can ask HR for a copy of the actual contract they have with the insurance company and then look through it for the things they exclude.  As a customer of the insurance company you should have the right to see the content of the actual contract.  You don't have to out yourself if you do it this way.

Your "contract summary" might have the exclusions listed as well but having the contract itself would give you more information.

The HRC index is very lacking for trans inclusiveness.  It is slated to get better in 2011 or 2012 but right now a company can be very discriminatory towards trans health concerns and still get 100%  It may be used as a starting point but cannot be trusted as a reliable source.  Get a copy of the contract and find out for yourself.

hugs & smiles
Emelye

[NYCTSGirl01]

This list is a serious joke. I transitioned on the job for one of these companies. I was pressured to leave they made no attempt to accommodate me. Now that I am fully transitioned they will not call me for interviews even though I'm listed by HR as "eligible for rehire."

The HRC works for gay men and women not trans people. The T does not belong in LGBT!

[Jamie D]

The topic is four years old.  Please make an update if you have additional research.