Medicare Coverage For Transgender Sex-Change Surgery

How do you feel about your tax money being spent on gender reassignment surgery via medicare payment? Here it comes ... ready or not. As long as a doctor and a mental health professional say it's needed, medicare will pay for it.

Medicare Coverage Ban Lifted on Transgender Sex-Change Surgery

Transgender people receiving Medicare may no longer be automatically denied coverage for sex reassignment surgeries, a U.S. Department of Health and Services review board ruled Friday in a groundbreaking decision that recognizes the procedures as a medically necessary and effective treatment for individuals who do not identify with their biological sex.

Ruling in favor of a 74-year-old Army veteran whose request to have Medicare pay for her genital reconstruction was denied two years ago, the agency's Departmental Appeals Board ruled that a three-decade-old HHS rule excluding such surgeries from the procedures covered by the national health program for the elderly and disabled was unjustified.

"Sometimes I am asked aren't I too old to have surgery. My answer is how old is too old?" the veteran, Denee Mallon, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, said in an email interview before the board issued its decision. "When people ask if I am too old, it feels like they are implying that it's a `waste of money' to operate at my age. But I could have an active life ahead of me for another 20 years. And I want to spend those years in congruence and not distress

Transgenders will now be able to seek authorization for surgery by submitting documentation from a doctor and mental health professionals. Those professionals must state that surgery is medically indicated in their case. The government will receive an individualized review of the medical need for the surgery and it will be determined if the government will pay for it. Some believe this will help make sex-reassignment surgeries to be a routinely covered benefit with insurance companies. The article states that 49 million people are enrolled in medicare. The WIlliams Institute states that 9 million Americans identify as LGBT. I have no idea how many are wanting gender reassignment surgery. But your tax money will be paying for some of them.

a reply to: FlyersFan

I feel it would have been fine for private insurance...back when we weren't required to participate in it and support it under penalty of law.

As a public funded service, I suppose this removes any and all limits of any kind to selective or elective surgery and procedures.

Steve becoming Eve or Eve becoming Steve shouldn't be something I have to pay or or pay into, whether I object to the concept or not.

To each their own and different strokes for different folks, as the old saying goes...just don't ask me to pay for it and I won't get mad or offended. Seems fair to me.

Was in a discussion with a "guy" recently who is receiving HRT through the VA. I find it an affront that taxes go to support this type of thing. BTW he feels he earned this elective procedure because and I quote " he wasn't paid well in the military" .

a reply to: FlyersFan


Our tax dollars have been paying for gender reassignment surgery for prisoners for some time already. That alone boggles my mind.

I watched a documentary special that covered the subject, that followed several prisoners through the process.

If someone is already undergoing gender reassignment, and they are thrown in prison. We the tax payers get to foot all expenses to continue treatment to completion. to the tune of millions of dollars.

I'm totally against the tax payers paying for this type of medical treatment. If one chooses to do it on their own...I'm all for them being happy. But, to get this as a bonus for breaking laws that end your arse in prison, then getting us to foot the bill....we the taxpayers are getting screwed.

Des

Well what if I want to be turned into Wolverine....I suppose our tax dollars can be used to grant my nice claws, health regeneration, metal bones....Id be ok with this if the government were ok with making me Wolverine.

a reply to: Destinyone

Is it millions of dollars for just one person? or all of them?

originally posted by: Thisbseth
a reply to: Destinyone

Is it millions of dollars for just one person? or all of them?

In the documentary I watched. It was said that with all the long term meds needed for gender reassignment, and breast reconstruction and the down below surgery...it worked out to about 1 million per person. Plus, they then have to be house in special prison quarters, and receive special gender reassignment therapy for a year or more. Special in-house medical providers...it all adds up to we are being royally screwed.

Des

Now...what nut introduced an idea like that. Healthcare is to sustain health, not to change gender. If the person wants to pay for it themselves, go at it. But having the people who pay into Medicare pay for it is crazy. I don't think any insurance should pay for that kind of thing. I don't think insurance should pay for an abortion or any cosmetic surgery unless it is to fix something created by an accident and it is needed.

I think the medical professions are trying to increase their income base, that is not what should be done. Healthcare insurance is way too high a percentage of our income as it is. I see a runnaway train. We have to fix things like this before they can't be fixed because all of America has squandered away all it's wealth into the hands of a few people.

a reply to: Destinyone

You're absolutely right Des. Gender Ressignment is anything but a quick surgery. If it's done ethically and responsibly with consideration for the person requesting it as much as everything else? It's a long process with different stages to it.

Apart from the surgery itself, changing gender identity requires unique social, legal, and hormonal involvement. The entire process is often referred to as "sexual transitioning," as it truly does require a transition over time. Social reassignment, which is often highly recommended before the individual commits to SRS, entails living and working for perhaps two years as if the individual were already a member of the opposite sex. This often gives some indication of the possible success-emotionally and psychologically-of SRS.

Hormonal reassignment usually takes place before SRS is decided upon. For male-to-female transsexuals, estrogen therapy helps suppress the physical male characteristics and encourages physical female characteristics. Electrolysis of facial and bodily hair is still necessary, however, as estrogen does not halt hair growth. While treatment of female-to-male transsexuals with androgensdoes lower the pitch in voice, estrogen does not raise the voice pitch in the male-to-female transsexual. In order to ensure the SRS candidate is fully aware that some irreversible changes will occur even with hormone therapy alone, and that often difficult psychological changes will be experienced, initiation of psychological counseling is highly recommended beginning six months prior to the initiation of hormone therapy and continuing through the entire SRS process.

Source

a reply to: Destinyone

Holy scrip....thats pretty insane..Im sticking with the whole Im not going to support this ever as long as I live until i get my claws and metal bones rant...Our country is so awesome..but at the same time I sometimes feel a bunch of monkeys are running the damn thing.

originally posted by: Destinyone
I'm totally against the tax payers paying for this type of medical treatment.

I am of the opinion that there are other REAL medical issues that the tax money should be taking care of ... like artificial limbs that actually fit correctly for our service members who need them. I read an article a while back stating that a lot of the limbs don't fit correctly and just make stumps sore and bloody. And how about putting the $$ towards mental health services for those with PTSD who come home??

I'm sure some will say that gender reassignment (sex change) is a necessity ... but I disagree. I know, I know, I'm not walking in that persons shoes ... but that's where I am on it.

a reply to: FlyersFan

Amen

originally posted by: rickymouse
Healthcare is to sustain health, not to change gender.

I agree with you.
Those that disagree say that changing gender IS a sustaining health measure.
I don't see it.

a reply to: rickymouse

Ding Ding Ding about insurance companies. Also the military is discussing having openly transgendered soldiers. This will become the great she-male subsidy . The person I was talking to in the previous post essentially used the military as a piggy bank to get the surgery because they could not afford it otherwise.

it's an elective surgery/procedure, so why the hell should joe q. public be forced to foot the bill for it?

and I'd sure as heck like to see any medical professional attempt to qualify it as anything other than that - an elective surgery.

a reply to: Destinyone

That is kind of crazy, how did the medical profession ever talk the government into covering this. Almost all of the profit from this winds up either in the hands of medical professionals or the Pharma companies. Motive....extra money for all in your profession. Why doesn't our elected government just say no to this? They aren't paying attention or are influenced by the all mighty dollar in the hands of some of their kind.

Wouldn't it be smarter to have them work it off while they are in prison? or does the whole 13 amendment make it to where they work for free and we tax payers pay for everything else? Im pretty sure I heard that prisoners get paid some small cents to do work to buy stuff at the commissary? so it would be fair that the sex change they want can be paid for by how much they work. So if they really want to be a Man/Women then they really gotta work for it...

a reply to: FlyersFan

... like artificial limbs that actually fit correctly for our service members who need them.

I agree completely with this, from the VA. Not medi- programs. We established the VA..however it's fallen since..for that purpose, as I understand it.

Outside them though? Is that a medical necessity? If that is, I'd argue that to a TG, getting their process done is of the same level of necessity in their perspective.

Kinda odd way to have to look at things, but now that it's broadened out to everything? We really DO have to draw a line for what taxes fund and what they don't, as money is running dry with or without Obamacare.

VA for everything Vet related and they ought to have the best, carte blance free for life in my view, but medical necessity for health and safety with everything else publicly funded.

This is my first time joining a forum- hi everyone. I felt so strongly about this and had to search the internet to see if others did too. This is absolutely absurd! How is it that "we the people" have no control over OUR money??? I work very hard and do not want my tax dollars going towards this! I want MY money to benefit my family, my children, creating jobs, and making our world more efficient and safe. This is unnerving and it is time for like-minded people to come together and put a stop to this type of nonsense. Medicare won't pay for dentures for the elderly in Florida but will pay for this??? Surreal, this is absolutely unreal!

a reply to: FlyersFan

Soooo.... If I can get a licensed mental health professional to say that a tummy-tuck will help my emotional well-being will Medicare pay for it?