Genital Surgery Must Be Provided To Trans Woman Through Medicare Program

[traci_k]

Genital Surgery Must Be Provided To Trans Woman Through Medicare Program

http://www.buzzfeed.com/dominicholden/genital-surgery-must-be-provided-to-trans-woman-through-medi#.toWNpaR0E

Buzz Feed
Dominic Holden
BuzzFeed News Reporter
posted on Jan. 29, 2016, at 11:36 a.m.

Charlene Lauderdale was denied coverage for the procedures by her private insurance firm, which is funded through Medicare. But for the first time this month, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services panel found that the insurance provider must cover the procedures.


A Department of Health and Human Services panel found for the first time that a private insurer that provides coverage through a government-funded Medicare Advantage program must cover a transgender person's sex reassignment surgery.

"The council finds that the vaginoplasty surgery requested in this case is covered and is the responsibility of the plan," according to the January 21 decision by the Medicare Appeals Council, the top internal review body within the federal agency for Medicare appeals.
********************************************
How did we miss this one? Medicare Advantage - private insurance companies, covering Medicare must now provide coverage for GCS.