Massachusetts To Cover Gender Identity Treatment
BOSTON (AP) — The Patrick administration is seeking to extend health care coverage for medically necessary treatment for gender identity or gender dysphoria including hormone therapy and gender-reassignment surgery.
The administration said Friday that in coming weeks MassHealth will publish proposed regulations for the coverage for residents who need transgender-related services.
Gender dysphoria is the diagnosis given to people who experience extreme distress due to a disconnect between their birth sex and gender identity.
The administration said the state Division of Insurance will also advise health insurers that they may not deny services ordinarily available to individuals based on the perceived gender identity of that person when the denial is due only to the individual being identified as belonging to the other sex.
The change also applies to individuals who have undergone, or are undergoing, gender transition.
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