Despite Obamacare Promise, Transgender People Have Trouble Getting Some Care

By Lisa Gillespie July 22, 2015

http://khn.org/news/despite-obamacare-promise-transgender-people-have-t=rouble-getting-some-care/

The issue stems from the fact that enrollees must check a single gender box when they sign up for a plan sold on the individual or small group markets, according to advocates and health care providers.

"What happens is that the health insurance companies have specific codes and they put you in as female or male; you only get services that go with that code," said Robin Maril, senior legislative counsel at the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender people.

Adding the choice f 'transgender man' or 'transgender woman' isn't the answer in my opinion. Gender should not be needed to determine care at all.

In Australia with have a third box. Other. It seems to work fine.

Agreed. We should be receiving the proper care regardless. The other idea is an option, but still I would prefer to be able to check the box of my choosing and because someone is forcing me to choose a particular box because I'm transgendered. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: LordKAT on July 28, 2015, 08:00:46 AM
Adding the choice f 'transgender man' or 'transgender woman' isn't the answer in my opinion. Gender should not be needed to determine care at all.

No mention of the fact that a vast majority of insurance companies cover NO transition-related health expenses whatsoever? That people are being denied medically-necessary care because it's deemed "elective?" That's our real problem, IMO. Access to medically-necessary care shouldn't be a lottery based on wealth because we have to pay for it out-of-pocket.

or the insurance companies cover it but then it's impossible to find any doctor that will work with them. My insurance (Cigna) supposedly covers every bit of transition. I could not find a doctor in my area under them and had to go out of net work. Unfortunately I had to pay out of pocket for every part of my transition except for the co pay on my medications. They are really.. REALLY anal about everything. I think they do it to try and discourage you from getting any money back. Gotta keep fighting though

Oh and on top of that I was out 6 weeks for my surgery. I haven't gotten paid since because Cigna continues to send back all of my FMLA,STD, and Claim forms to get filled out again and again by my doctor. Luckily my boss said not to worry about the FMLA since I still have my job when I go back tommorrow :p phew.

Does this mean some companies will only offer you hormones OR surgeries based on whichever gender you chose? Obamacare is a big step in the right direction for healthcare in this country, but of course there will always be some kind of loophole for the insurance companies to find...

My biggest concern is choosing the right insurance company next year. Currently, I'm on free healthcare from the state, but I NEED to get top surgery next year. I've put this all off for far too long. There is a very good surgeon in my area, so I need to make sure I choose an insurance that she will accept as well as one that won't end up screwing me in the end. -_- I'm planning on starting up with a therapist soon so I have all the paperwork the ins. company might need when I decide to get the surgery. I'm assuming I'll need to pay for my own insurance next year (this plan doesn't even cover my half-blind eyes!), so I've gotta make sure I'm making the right decision before throwing all my eggs in one basket (those will be much more literal words for my next surgery).

It's so stressful worrying about this sort of thing. I know one day transgender people will be treated differently and it'll be easier for them to get proper care. It just sucks struggling with what we're offered these days.