Should insurance cover transgender/sexual related surgeries and procedures?

[Divine Androgyne]

Many genetic women aren't going to commit suicide from dysphoria if they don't have these surgeries or transition.

Your preaching the dysphoria/suicide myth to the wrong person honey. I have been there and I learned the truth that it's really a matter of mind control. Not body control.

 

[Jaymes]

Could I get a definition of trans-gender? Does that mean that someone has the reproductive organs of both a male and a female?

The words transgender and transsexual both refer to individuals diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder, which is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a legitimate psychological issue that needs treatment, normally through hormones and/or surgery.

Gender identity disorder is characterized by individuals insisting that they'd rather be or are the opposite sex. You can read the diagnostic criteria here. I've also written a FAQ based on my experiences, which you can read by clicking here or on the picture in my signature.

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

That's all good and fine, but who do you think is really going to pay in the end. Those who pay for the insurance to start with.

I don't think it would be a hardship on the company to pay. How much money have they got from insurance claims that they never paid out? How many people paid insurance for 10 or 15 years, and when they needed the return on that, they were told __________ wasn't covered by them? Thus they get away with your money that you have poured into their company. SO many loopholes they can find and reasons not to pay any medical bills and not cover this and that.

If a transgender person is paying insurance premiums they should be covered for any and all their health needs end of story. And that goes for everyone else too. If I'm paying I should be able to go to the doctors whenever I need to get seen whether that's a checkup, or a major surgery.

 

[Jaymes]

Your preaching the dysphoria/suicide myth to the wrong person honey. I have been there and I learned the truth that it's really a matter of mind control. Not body control.

"Myth"? How is it a myth if it's backed up by research? This is a recognized statistic in the medical and trans community.

And please don't start with the "it's all in your head" thing. First, the APA disagrees with you. You can go argue with them. And second, I get that enough from people who have no idea what it's like to be gender variant. I'd rather not get it from someone that knows what it's like as well.

 

[jonny]

The words transgender and transsexual both refer to individuals diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder, which is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a legitimate psychological issue that needs treatment, normally through hormones and/or surgery.

Gender identity disorder is characterized by individuals insisting that they'd rather be or are the opposite sex. You can read the diagnostic criteria here. I've also written a FAQ based on my experiences, which you can read by clicking here or on the picture in my signature.

I think I understand. I don't know. My initial answer is that it shouldn't cover sex change operations, but I could probably be convinced otherwise and really am not that well informed on these issues. I'd tend to think that phychological treatment should be covered by the insurance and that it should be treated as a phychological issue. If drugs are necessary to treat it, then they should be administered just as they would in any other phychological case. As for surgery, if I'm depressed because I have a big nose and think I'm ugly, my insurance wouldn't pay for me to get plastic surgery. I think that similar standards should apply in this case.

 

[Jaymes]

I think I understand. I don't know. My initial answer is that it shouldn't cover sex change operations, but I could probably be convinced otherwise and really am not that well informed on these issues. I'd tend to think that phychological treatment should be covered by the insurance and that it should be treated as a phychological issue. If drugs are necessary to treat it, then they should be administered just as they would in any other phychological case. As for surgery, if I'm depressed because I have a big nose and think I'm ugly, my insurance wouldn't pay for me to get plastic surgery. I think that similar standards should apply in this case.

I understand what you're saying, but not liking your nose and thinking you're in the wrong body are so far apart it's less apples and oranges and more like apples and moon rocks. I've never talked to anyone who dislikes their nose so much they've considered cutting it off or committing suicide because of it.

 

[jamaesi]

Yet another peice of unncessary and coercisive legislation.

I'm sure Hippocrates, the father of medicine in the 4th century, would completely agree. It was he, or one of his students, who penned this. It's not a piece of legislation, it's a oath to the ethical practice of medicine.

I think I understand. I don't know. My initial answer is that it shouldn't cover sex change operations, but I could probably be convinced otherwise and really am not that well informed on these issues. I'd tend to think that phychological treatment should be covered by the insurance and that it should be treated as a phychological issue. If drugs are necessary to treat it, then they should be administered just as they would in any other phychological case. As for surgery, if I'm depressed because I have a big nose and think I'm ugly, my insurance wouldn't pay for me to get plastic surgery. I think that similar standards should apply in this case.

This is absolutely nothing like not liking your nose. It's being, literally, trapped in wrong body. If you woke up every morning with a nose and chest and genitals that did not belong to the body of the sex you are then this would be comparable.

 

[Aqualung]

I'm sure Hippocrates, the father of medicine in the 4th century, would completely agree. It was he, or one of his students, who penned this. It's not a piece of legislation, it's a oath to the ethical practice of medicine.

For some reason I thought it was required to say it (in which case, it would be a peice of legislation) but I can't find anything to that effect. Can anybody clear my confusion?

 

[jonny]

I understand what you're saying, but not liking your nose and thinking you're in the wrong body are so far apart it's less apples and oranges and more like apples and moon rocks. I've never talked to anyone who dislikes their nose so much they've considered cutting it off or committing suicide because of it.

I've never talked to anyone who wanted a sex change either, doesn't mean they don't exist.

Surgery is expensive and should be a last resort (in my opinion). I'm not saying there are not any cases where a sex change could be a justifyable insurance expense, but in most cases I'd put it in the "cosmetic" category.

 

[Jaymes]

I've never talked to anyone who wanted a sex change either, doesn't mean they don't exist.

Sure you have. You've talked to me, haven't you?

Surgery is expensive and should be a last resort (in my opinion). I'm not saying there are not any cases where a sex change could be a justifyable insurance expense, but in most cases I'd put it in the "cosmetic" category.

That's just the thing, though. Most of the times it is necessary, either because it causes the individual significant psychological distress, or because they attempt to hurt themselves because of it. These aren't rare, either; it's more rare in the trans community to hear of someone that can live without surgeries or hormones than someone who can't.

 

[Ðanisty]

I think I understand. I don't know. My initial answer is that it shouldn't cover sex change operations, but I could probably be convinced otherwise and really am not that well informed on these issues. I'd tend to think that phychological treatment should be covered by the insurance and that it should be treated as a phychological issue. If drugs are necessary to treat it, then they should be administered just as they would in any other phychological case. As for surgery, if I'm depressed because I have a big nose and think I'm ugly, my insurance wouldn't pay for me to get plastic surgery. I think that similar standards should apply in this case.

Jonny, I think if you didn't have a penis and had breasts, you'd be pretty uncomfortable with your body. Understand you would still be the same person you are now with all the masculine personality traits and feelings. Just imagine you weren't actually a man. You don't think this could cause major depression and suicidal feelings?

 

[Jaymes]

And while I'm thinking of it: It's addressed in the FAQ I linked jonny to, along with the DSM IV guidelines for diagnosis, but gender identity disorder and intersex are two completely different things.

 

[Divine Androgyne]

"Myth"? How is it a myth if it's backed up by research? This is a recognized statistic in the medical and trans community.

And please don't start with the "it's all in your head" thing. First, the APA disagrees with you. You can go argue with them. And second, I get that enough from people who have no idea what it's like to be gender variant. I'd rather not get it from someone that knows what it's like as well.[/quote]

Perhaps you just don't want to get the truth that it is all a social/medical scam from anyone?

 

[Jaymes]

Perhaps you just don't want to get the truth that it is all a social/medical scam from anyone?

I'm sorry, there's no polite way I can reply to that. If you send me an email or message me on AIM, I'll be very happy to tell you exactly what I think about that statement, though.