Bill would require insurance coverage for reversing gender affirming treatments
A Republican state lawmaker has introduced a bill to require insurance companies to pick up the costs for transgender patients who want to reverse treatments.
Two years ago, the Legislature voted to outlaw gender-confirming surgery for minors, even with parental consent.
However, a different bill aiming to do the same with hormone treatments failed to get approval.
Sen. Janae Shamp introduced SB 1511, saying doctors are unable to get reimbursed by insurance companies for providing reversal treatments.
She says part of the problem is the lack of medical billing codes.
“They haven't even set up codes to be able to diagnose. That's unheard of in the medical world. And that means we have political ideology directing it. And that has to stop," Shamp said.
Beyond that the bill requires doctors, health care institutions or entities who provide transition care to also "provide or pay for the performance of gender detransition procedures."
People receive "detransition" care for many reasons, including a lack of social support or dissatisfaction with medical care.
The bill has yet to be assigned committee hearings.
-
