Victory! Nevada Orders Health Insurance Companies to Cover Transgender Health Care

The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund applauds the state of Nevada for ordering health insurance companies to provide coverage to transgender people for all medically necessary health care services, including transition-related care.

The state’s Division of Insurance made the announcement in a bulletin released late last week.

Statement from TLDEF Executive Director Michael Silverman

“Transgender people in Nevada have suffered because of discriminatory health insurance exclusions that target the medically necessary care they need. We congratulate Nevada activists and state leaders for bringing about this important change to ensure that transgender people can access the same health care that everyone else receives.

“Health care related to gender transition is widely recognised as medically necessary by organisations such as the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. Momentum for equal access to health care continues as Nevada becomes the 11th jurisdiction to bar health insurance discrimination against transgender people. It joins California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.

“Transgender people’s health and well being are put at great risk without access to the critical care they need. It is time for all states to take this same important step to improve the lives of their transgender residents by ordering insurance companies to treat transgender people fairly and equally.”