I've been reading lately about Fortune 500 companies that have adopted nondiscrimination policies that cover transgender - as well as providing medical insurance that would actually pay for hormones and sex reassignment surgery. I have raised the question with HR at my small company, and they asked for more information specifically on what insurers offer what policies exactly. Does anyone know where to find this information?

This page has something on it - http://www.tgender.net/taw/tsins.html

I don't have specific links, but a good search would find the lists of companies or from support groups you or your HR office can contact for additional information. From what I've read, the (employer) company is paying the SRS and not the health insurance company. It's a trend to lower health/medical costs for companies where they're paying (out of pocket) costs for a variety of surgeries and procedures, including some in foreign countries, eg. Thailand. It's actually cheaper to do this than pay increased premiums for all. Health insurance carriers seem to be staying the same with their coverages and policies for "transsexual" services. HRT on the other hand, is usually covered under drug policies as hormones are not gender/sex specific any more. Therapy is dependent on your carrier, which usually requires a diagnosis, treatment plan with goals and deadlines, and specific number of sessions per year and total. Some offer optional partial payment for more frequent or extended therapy.

That's my experience and understanding. Yours and others' experience may differ.

--Susan--

The HRC has a listing of companies that have gay friendly policies.  Trans health coverage is part of those policies.

Their website will tell you how to get to the document.

My company's insurance has a specific exclusion for all treatments for transexuality.  I'll be appealing that rule because it's so blatently discriminatory but I ain't holdin' ma breath before I see any $$$.

hugs & smiles
Emelye

As far as I know, California is the only state in the nation that prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against transgender people.

QuoteVII. Health Care
A. State of the law
• Private Heath Insurance – private health insurance will often explicitly exclude coverage for
transition related procedures. Insurance carriers that do not explicitly exclude coverage
sometimes try to deny coverage based on claims that procedures are "cosmetic" or
"experimental." Such claims are unlikely to survive legal challenge. The Insurance Gender
Non-Discrimination Act of 2005 made explicit in sections of the Insurance Code and Health
and Safety Code that decisions by insurance companies motivated by anti-transgender bias
are unlawful. (Attachment S – text of AB 1586 as Chaptered on 9/29/05)
• Public Health Insurance -- Medicare denies coverage. No current case law explicitly
prohibits these denials. Medi-Cal, however, should not be denying any funding requests from
otherwise eligible recipients. Case law supports the position that such blanket denial by
Medi-Cal (and any other state Medicaid health program) is unlawful. (Attachment T –
Redacted Medi-Cal Position Statement for Top Surgery for an FTM Client.)
• Discrimination in the Provision of Care – many transgender people find that they face
discrimination from their health care providers or staff members at clinics or hospitals. Such
discrimination is likely illegal under Unruh.

Quote extracted from this link:

http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org/pdf/ca_trans_law_101_overview.pdf

I know that Aetna has a policy regarding SRS as specified on this link:

http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/600_699/0615.html


However, no one (I know) who is TS and has this type of insurance coverage has benefited from this policy so I don't know...   


tink

Thanks, Tink, that Aetna link was very helpful. I sent it to HR and noted that I can meet all the criteria it listed.