News and Events => Political and Legal News => Topic started by: Jessica_Rose on March 10, 2026, 02:15:48 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Trans women... victory after insurance company denied gender-affirming surgeries
Post by: Jessica_Rose on March 10, 2026, 02:15:48 PM
Post by: Jessica_Rose on March 10, 2026, 02:15:48 PM
Trans women win court victory after insurance company denied their gender-affirming surgeries
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/03/trans-women-win-court-victory-after-insurance-company-denied-their-gender-affirming-surgeries/
Greg Owen (10 March 2026)
A group of six transgender women who sued Aetna Insurance for denying them facial feminization surgery won a preliminary injunction against the company on Sunday.
The six women sued Aetna after they were categorically denied facial feminization surgery (FFS), based on the insurer's internal guidance, Clinical Policy Bulletin 0615, which describes FFS as "cosmetic" and excludes all coverage of the procedure, Erin in the Morning reported.
The ruling applies to two patients, Dr. Jamie Homnick and Dr. Gennifer Herley, who sought coverage for FFS to treat severe gender dysphoria. Both women reported severe depression, suicidality, and intensifying gender dysphoria related to facial masculinization. Neither benefited from puberty blockers or hormone therapy as part of their transitions.
Judge Victor A. Bolden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut granted the two patients' request for a preliminary injunction, requiring Aetna to set aside the blanket exemption in the course of considering their claims. He called the denials a clear case of sex discrimination.
"To be clear, the issue is not whether Aetna's policy exclusion prohibits this type of gender-affirming care, but rather that Aetna's policy exclusion prohibits only transgender individuals, the only individuals who can experience gender dysphoria, from receiving this type of gender-affirming care," Judge Bolden wrote.
"Thus, when Aetna decided that facial gender-affirming procedures 'performed as a component of a gender transition [were] not medically necessary and cosmetic,' Aetna prohibited only transgender individuals from seeking this medical care, and thus discriminated on the basis of sex."
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/03/trans-women-win-court-victory-after-insurance-company-denied-their-gender-affirming-surgeries/
Greg Owen (10 March 2026)
A group of six transgender women who sued Aetna Insurance for denying them facial feminization surgery won a preliminary injunction against the company on Sunday.
The six women sued Aetna after they were categorically denied facial feminization surgery (FFS), based on the insurer's internal guidance, Clinical Policy Bulletin 0615, which describes FFS as "cosmetic" and excludes all coverage of the procedure, Erin in the Morning reported.
The ruling applies to two patients, Dr. Jamie Homnick and Dr. Gennifer Herley, who sought coverage for FFS to treat severe gender dysphoria. Both women reported severe depression, suicidality, and intensifying gender dysphoria related to facial masculinization. Neither benefited from puberty blockers or hormone therapy as part of their transitions.
Judge Victor A. Bolden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut granted the two patients' request for a preliminary injunction, requiring Aetna to set aside the blanket exemption in the course of considering their claims. He called the denials a clear case of sex discrimination.
"To be clear, the issue is not whether Aetna's policy exclusion prohibits this type of gender-affirming care, but rather that Aetna's policy exclusion prohibits only transgender individuals, the only individuals who can experience gender dysphoria, from receiving this type of gender-affirming care," Judge Bolden wrote.
"Thus, when Aetna decided that facial gender-affirming procedures 'performed as a component of a gender transition [were] not medically necessary and cosmetic,' Aetna prohibited only transgender individuals from seeking this medical care, and thus discriminated on the basis of sex."
Title: Re: Trans women... victory after insurance company denied gender-affirming surgeries
Post by: Lori Dee on March 10, 2026, 05:13:07 PM
Post by: Lori Dee on March 10, 2026, 05:13:07 PM
Good. Now, do the Veterans Administration.
They didn't label Gender Affirming Care as "cosmetic".
They just said, "Nope, we are not doing it."
By rescinding "VHA DIRECTIVE 1341(4), PROVIDING HEALTH CARE FOR TRANSGENDER AND INTERSEX VETERANS" they are discriminating against transgender and intersex veterans only.
But other issues seem to have a priority from elected officials.
They didn't label Gender Affirming Care as "cosmetic".
They just said, "Nope, we are not doing it."
By rescinding "VHA DIRECTIVE 1341(4), PROVIDING HEALTH CARE FOR TRANSGENDER AND INTERSEX VETERANS" they are discriminating against transgender and intersex veterans only.
But other issues seem to have a priority from elected officials.