Possible Coverage By Medcare And Medicaid For SRS!

On Friday on Facebook there was a post that was starting to go viral about an Advocate article on how Medicare and Medicaid wants input on providing coverage for Gender Confirming Surgery. The article had a link but by the time I clicked on it the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services had taken it down…

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which runs the federal government's national insurance program, is reconsidering whether or not it should cover gender reassignment surgery (often called sex reassignment surgery) for transgender people who have Medicare. It has offered the public 30 days to offer opinions on the matter. Since around 48 million people are covered by Medicare, if the agency decides to allow coverage, the change would have a significant impact on transgender people in the U.S.

This official reconsideration of coverage began yesterday and goes for 29 more days in which the public can comment.

Then the internet was abuzz with speculation on what happened. But then an article in “The Hill” started appearing in post say they closed the comments and are going to consider it internally.

The Health and Human Services Department said early Friday that it would accept public comments on whether to reexamine its decision not to cover sex changes.

But a spokesperson said Friday evening that the proposal has been withdrawn. HHS pulled information from its website Friday after various news media outlets reported on the issue.

The controversial decision to consider using taxpayer money to cover sex changes was sure to attract criticism from Congress.

According to Mara Keisling of National Center for Transgender Equality (NTCE) -

Very good news. Earlier this evening, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) decided to use a streamlined administrative process to consider to change whether Medicare covers SRS, instead of the much more cumbersome public comment process they announced on Thursday. This is very very good news and exactly what we were working for. So folks shouldn't be scrambling to submit comments. Progress.

Another State Adds Insurance Coverage For Trans-People

Colorado joins Oregon and California in requiring insurance coverage for transgender people...

What Coloradans Need to Know About the Division of Insurance Recent Bulletin on Health Insurance

In an important victory for the health of all Coloradans, the Colorado Division of Insurance released a bulletin on March 19, 2013, stating that discrimination in health coverage based on sexual orientation — defined as heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality or transgender status — is prohibited in Colorado.

The announcement of this bulletin (B-4.49) means that in order to comply with current Colorado statutes prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and transgender status, health insurance plans sold in Colorado can no longer: 1) impose higher rates or charge more because of an applicant’s sexual orientation (see definition below); 2) use an individual’s sexual orientation as a pre-existing condition for the purpose of limiting or denying coverage; or 3) deny, exclude or limit coverage for medically necessary services as determined by an individual’s medical provider, if the same item or service would be provided — based on current standards of care — to another individual without regard to their sexual orientation. 

You can read the rest of the article here.

The Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut - CTAC Fundraiser

Please join Emperor and Empress MMXIII Trevor Reynolds and Morgana de Luxe for Investitures 2013: A Family Affair!
2pm to 6pm at Tommy's Restaurant 825 Saybrook Road Middletown CT.

We will be handing out in state titles along with some other surprises. A family style dinner will be served (salad, pasta, sauce, meatballs and garlic bread) along with a raffle and show.

The reigning family of Connecticut will be in Protocol attire and is optional for attendees.

Cost is $20 per person and includes dinner and show. Proceeds will go to Reign 2013 Beneficiaries:
Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition
St. Philip House
AIDS Project New Haven
Connecticut Breast Health Initiative

Please RSVP by 4/7/2013 to Emperor Trevor (TRReynz@AOL.Com) or Empress Morgana (MorganaDx@AOL.Com) or for more information.

Facebook event page is here.

Please come down and help us start Reign 2013 with a bang!
Hope to see you there!

Maryland Senate Committee Votes Down Gender Inclusive Bill.

Last Week, Maryland's the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee vote down a bill that would have banned anti-transgender discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation. The Washington Blade reported...

A Maryland state Senate committee on Thursday struck down a bill that would have banned anti-transgender discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation.

The 6-5 vote in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee came slightly more than two weeks after it held a hearing on Senate Bill 449 — the Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2013 — that state Sens. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County) and Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery County) introduced.
[...]
“It is now 14 years since transgender protections were stripped from LGBT anti-discrimination legislation by the General Assembly,” Donna Cartwright of the Maryland Coalition for Trans Equality said. “It’s long past time for the legislature to take meaningful action to address the severe discrimination and disadvantage that trans people face.”

You can read the whole story here.