Thea Cox
The Obama administration is considering having gender reassignment surgery covered under Medicare. Over the next month they are asking the public for opinions on this coverage. Discussion on this topic was started after a request made by Nehael Jae Shields, who was born intersexed. After being raised as a male decides she wants to live female. The surgery was banned from Medicare coverage because at first it was experimental. But, now the procedure is backed by most of the medical community who support the procedure for those who suffer from gender dysphoria. The Department of Health and Human Service lifted their ban for a transgender female in the army and the ban was lifted for Medicare in 2014, but no national standard has been set.
Although, it is unknown how many people this would actually affect, it is estimated that .3% of adults in the United States identify as transgender. Because Medicare is health coverage offered to people 65 years old and older, many may never pursue surgery because of various health reasons. An economist from The U.S. Census Bureau found transgender individuals who seek reassignment surgery usually do so in their mid-thirties. Some say this treatment path is not cost effective. But researchers have found sex reassignment surgery is cost effective compared to treating people with depression, substance abuse and HIV/AIDS.
“When you have the care you need you’re going to be happier and you’re not going to need all that health care”
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/12/04/government-contemplating-when-medicare-should-cover-gender-reassignment