I believe this is an important issue for many people and I am sure there are at least a few google searches per month on this very topic. The question of course is does your health insurance plan cover your brand new penis (or lack thereof)?
And in what must be a good sign of fairness under the law, the majority of health insurance companies that are covering this surgery has more than doubled over the past year. And who is keeping score? One of the nation’s largest gay rights group who would have no reason to lie or exaggerate.
The exact numbers provided by the Human Rights Campaign in a report to be published Thursday is that 207 of the 636 businesses it surveyed for its annual Corporate Equality Index either are already providing transgender- inclusive employee health benefits or plan to at the start of the new year. The previous year only had 85 companies that had coverage to pay for this procedure, and the year before that (2009) it was 49, and 10 years ago it would have been 0.
So why the sudden love for transsexuals? Its because the Human Rights Campaign grades corporations on whether their medical plans cover the whole set of operations including counseling and genital construction (or reconstruction if that is your pleasure) and this plan must cover at least $75,000 worth of surgery. And if the HRC gives you a 100% than you are listed in their preferred vendors guide for gay, lesbian, and transgender consumers.
Still, it is important to realize, that individual health insurance is probably never going to cover this so don’t be surprised when you bring your new insurance card to the gender reassignment doctor and he tells you gently that you are not going to be covered for your penis removal. Many insurers still categorize sex reassignment surgery as cosmetic, even though the American Medical Association considers it vital for some people who have been diagnosed with gender identity disorders.
Many of the corporations that expanded their insurance coverage this year are well known companies that appeal to consumers and need to maintain a good relationship with the gay and transgender community such as Apple, Chevron, General Mills, Dow Chemical, American Airlines, Kellogg, Sprint, Levi Strauss, Eli Lilly, Best Buy, Nordstrom, the U.S. division of Volkswagen, Whirlpool, Xerox, Raytheon and Office Depot.
Some companies like Office Depot, cover the procedure but only if it is ruled medically indicated, and not elective. Office Depot also has started sponsoring gay rights events such as an annual leadership conference held by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in order to maintain their top ranking with the HRC.
The Human Rights Campaign also found that corporate America is far ahead of the public sector in terms of providing job protections for transgender people.
Half of the Fortune 500 corporations and 80 percent of the companies the campaign surveyed have equal employment opportunity provisions that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity of gender non-conformity, according to the new index. Only 16 states, by contrast, have laws designed to protect transgender people from job and housing discrimination.
