LGBT rights have come a long way over the past decade. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize gay marriage. 34 other states have since followed suit.
Now the LGBT community is facing a new challenge in court: the right for transgender beneficiaries to receive medical coverage for gender reassignment surgeries and hormone therapies. Luckily, New York is now joining California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington D.C. with a new Medicaid regulation that covers the medical procedures.
According to a regulatory dictate Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed last December, New York’s Medicaid program will soon cover the cost of gender reassignment and hormone therapy, a ruling that follows on the heels of the governor’s decision to mandate private insurers to offer the same procedures.
Under the new regulations, Medicaid will cover hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery for any and all persons who have referrals from medical professionals. The new rules, however, do not address the more controversial issue of juvenile gender reassignment, as only individuals who are at least 18 or 21 years of age will be able to receive coverage, depending on the individual’s circumstances.
The Cuomo administration claims that the new regulation is an issue of civil rights, and was made in keeping with the governor’s declaration that New York is the “progressive capital” of the United States, which, indeed, it seems to be judging from its citizens. Rochester, New York, beat Cuomo to the punch last spring, adding transgender health care benefits for any employee and his or her family enrolled in the city medical plan. Further proving Cuomo’s declaration, two radio personalities garnered the ire of the public and were fired after making anti-LGBQT remarks live on the air.
“New York has always been a progressive leader and ensuring that all New Yorkers — regardless of gender identity — are treated fairly will continue this legacy,” said Governor Cuomo. “This new regulation will guarantee transgender New Yorkers access to Medicaid-funded care, which is critical to safeguarding the principle of equal treatment. I am proud that the state is taking this step and continuing to lead the fight on transgender rights.”
The challenge now is to get the freedom to marry legalized in the other 15 states, and to get Medicaid coverage approved everywhere else in the United States.
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