A Colorado Transgender woman is demanding that Aetna Life Insurance Company cover her medically necessary gender reassignment surgery, noting that Aetna’s Coverage Denial Violates Colorado Law.
Posted by Melanie Nathan, July 28, 2915.
The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) is demanding that Aetna Life Insurance Company reverse its decision to deny coverage for a Colorado transgender woman’s medically necessary gender reassignment surgery. The coverage denial violates Colorado law, which requires companies to cover medically necessary care for transgender policyholders on the same terms as all other policyholders.
Ashlyn Trider is a transgender woman. She began taking steps to live openly as female in 2012 after she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the diagnostic term used to refer to discomfort or distress caused by a difference between a person’s gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. As part of her gender transition, she began treatment for that condition, including hormone therapy. She also legally changed her name and corrected the sex designations on her Colorado driver’s license, U.S. passport, and Social Security Records.
On January 28, Ashlyn’s surgeon submitted a request for preauthorization for gender reassignment surgery on her behalf as part of Ashlyn’s prescribed treatment for gender dysphoria. One day later Aetna denied the request on the grounds that her policy excludes coverage for all transgender health care.
“Aetna’s categorical exclusion of treatment for gender dysphoria violates Colorado law, which mandates that insurance companies must cover medically necessary health care for transgender policyholders,” said TLDEF Staff Attorney Ethan Rice. “In March of 2013 the Colorado Division of Insurance issued clear guidance making it illegal for insurance companies to exclude the vital transition-related health care that Ashlyn is seeking.”
On July 20, TLDEF appealed Aetna’s coverage denial on Ashlyn’s behalf. Aetna has 30 days to respond. TLDEF also filed an official complaint with the Colorado Division of Insurance on July 23, 2015.
“Aetna denied my claims because I am transgender,” Ashlyn said. “This is the health care that I need. No one should be denied health care coverage just because of who they are.”
“Transgender women like Ashlyn need medical care, which often includes gender reassignment surgery,” added Rice. “Aetna’s discriminatory behavior highlights the significant challenges that transgender people face in getting the care that they need. Aetna must reverse this denial immediately so that Ashlyn can receive the medically necessary health care she needs. The company must also change its discriminatory policy to ensure that future claims for transgender policyholders in Colorado are handled appropriately.”
“I just want to be able to receive medical care without discrimination,” Ashlyn added. “Transgender people like me continue to struggle to get our health care needs met. My hope in speaking out about my experience is that it will shine a light on the discrimination that transgender people face and help bring it to an end.”
Health care related to gender transition is widely recognized as medically necessary by organizations such as the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. 11 jurisdictions currently bar health insurance discrimination against transgender people including: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.
Having your dick cut off is hardly a medical necessity unless it has cancer or some shit.
kudos to aetna
Banging little boys in The Philippines Mr. Dan Date? Holding tightly onto that transphobic/homophobic dick of yours? Your fear is well founded when yo are so deeeeeep in the closet that you haveto travel t foreign lands to get a bang for your buck!
Nice pic Dan Date
^ BTW the confederate flag is actually the flag…….
CENSORED….
and so say all of us and so say all of us…for he’s a jolly good feeeeelooooowwww and so say all of us!
YEAH DAN DATE DUH MAN!
Dan Date,
You’re a jerk. A narcissistic, uncaring, self-absorbed, “universe surrounds only me”, idiot.
On top of that, you lack sympathy & empathy- hallmarks of personality disorder.
Instead of feeling grateful that you do NOT have to deal with such a terrible identity issue (& the bias against it), you CHOOSE to be a JERK.
What a great guy you are (not)….smh
PS: the general rule is that those who cry hardest at pro-LGBT are, themselves, in the closet & in deep denial…FYI
I’m not anti-lgbt, the recommendations in Colorado for insurance coverage are psychiatric, not cosmetic.
You make insurance pay for everyone to have cosmetic surgery and they’ll quickly be bankrupt.
The entire nation will be bankrupt when we are forced to give everyone plastic surgery.
^ Which I should reiterate, if its deemed a transgender needs cosmetic surgery for psychiatric issues, then anyone who wants a nose or boob job will claim the same.
Stooooppid is as stoooopid does – may I reiterate
Yes you are anti LGBT – expressed in every comment you have made on this BLOG.
OR maybe I am wrong – perhaps self loathing closeted pedophiles are not anti-LGBTI by nature and merely by expression?
And in many instances gender reassignment by surgery is not cosmetic at all. Shows your ignorance. gender dysphoria is not classified as a cosmetic issue, – so any physical correction thereof is of a psyche nature – it is NOT cosmetic. That is idiocy to to think so. People who have this surgery do not get to do so randomly. There are hoops one has to go through to prove the psyche aspects. So please do some reading if you can!
Yes you are anti LGBT – expressed in every comment you have made on this BLOG.
OR maybe I am wrong – perhaps self loathing closeted pedophiles are not anti-LGBTI by nature and merely by expression?
And in many instances gender reassignment by surgery is not cosmetic at all. Shows your ignorance. gender dysphoria is not classified as a cosmetic issue, – so any physical correction thereof is of a psyche nature – it is NOT cosmetic. That is idiocy to to think so. People who have this surgery do not get to do so randomly. There are hoops one has to go through to prove the psyche aspects. So please do some reading if you can!
Absolutely! Aetna must follow the law in each state that it does business in.