U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers rules West Virginia’s Medicaid program can no longer exclude gender-affirming medical care

[butters]

WV's medicaid has been able to deny gender care since 2013... judge rules that it has to be covered.

The men’s attorneys successfully argued that the exclusions violated the 1965 federal Medicaid Act which states that “the medical assistance made available to any individual… shall not be less in amount, duration or scope than the medical assistance made available to any other such individual.”

The act also says that a state “Medicaid agency may not arbitrarily deny or reduce the amount, duration, or scope of a required service… to an otherwise eligible recipient solely because of the diagnosis, type of illness, or condition.”

West Virginia’s exclusions were also unlawful under federal constitutional and statutory guarantees of freedom from discrimination based on sex and gender, the men’s lawyers argued.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/t...sedgntp&cvid=6e141be32f9142a3adfff2e1b817f72d

 

[jaF0]

"of a required service…"

But IS it 'required', or is it voluntary/elective?

 

[butters]

"of a required service…"

But IS it 'required', or is it voluntary/elective?

you should speak with a trans person trapped inside the body that doesn't match who they are. It's difficult enough coming to terms nature has played some cruel joke on them; then they have to go through the difficulties of telling others about it, getting bullied/ignored/disowned/told they're crazy or liars and perverts/possibly NOT telling others and living a lie, without having gender reassignment psych evals/medication/prep all to be able to have the final assignment surgery denied them or taken away mid-treatment. Suicide rates are high enough even post-op in the transgender population, mainly due to a lack of public acceptance of them for whom they are. Public facilities denied them, job applications refused, people staring, whispering, calling out... imagine being a teenager and having to deal with this.

Who would choose to still go through it all if it wasn't, for them, a complete necessity?

I'm not transgender, but I am close to others who are. I listen to their stories and know how difficult it can be to move forward with transitioning or be forced to live a lie.

 

[domroger]

"of a required service…"

But IS it 'required', or is it voluntary/elective?

Yes to both.
This is not a black and white issue,as far as I am aware any surgery involved is voluntary/elective,but a psychiatrist decides if it is required.
I do know that some patients change their minds after counselling.
No matter anyone's opinion or belief it is real to the person involved and so should be treated as a medical issue.

 

[colddiesel]

There are far more important health issues than this. Not a priority. Tough for the individuals concerned, but in the competition for resources they lose, and should lose to better causes..

 

[Chobham]

There are far more important health issues than this. Not a priority. Tough for the individuals concerned, but in the competition for resources they lose, and should lose to better causes..

We rarely agree on much of anything but this is one of those exceptions. Finite medical resources being used to treat what is, at it's core, a mental condition is a waste of said resources.

 

[JohnnySavage]

The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many.

 

[ll74]

Since when are those with medical priorities being refused care?