By Guy Page
Vermont health care insurers can’t deny sex-change surgery based solely on the patient’s age, the state of Vermont announced Monday. Gov. Phil Scott said he is “grateful that my administration is clarifying and strengthening the rights afforded to Vermont’s LGBTQ+ community.”
The following press release was issued June 24 by the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation:
Montpelier, VT – The Department of Financial Regulation recently clarified that Vermont insurers are prohibited from making coverage determinations for medically necessary gender-affirming care based solely on age.
In 2007, Vermont passed legislation that prohibited discrimination based on gender identity. In 2013, DFR issued Bulletin 174, stating the law applies to the coverage of medically necessary gender-affirming care, including gender-affirming surgery. Last week, the department further revised Bulletin 174.
“The revised bulletin states unequivocally that insurers may not deny coverage of gender affirmation surgery due to the insured’s age, unless other clinical factors or circumstances support the decision,” said DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak. “We determined the clarification was necessary after receiving complaints from young Vermonters and their parents that coverage of gender-affirming care had been denied based on age.”
Revised Bulletin 174 comes on the heels of proposed rules issued by the federal government to roll back similar gender identity protections under the Affordable Care Act.
“It is important for Vermonters to know their rights under Vermont law will remain in place regardless of federal action,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I am grateful that my administration is clarifying and strengthening the rights afforded to Vermont’s LGBTQ+ community.”
The Scott Administration also recently proposed updates to Vermont’s Health Care Administrative Rules to allow transgender youth under age 21 to undergo gender-affirming surgery through Medicaid.
“This gender-affirming approach helps trans and non-binary youth feel safe in a society that too often marginalizes or stigmatizes anyone seen as different,” said Dana Kaplan, Executive Director of Outright Vermont. “It’s hard enough being a youth, and transgender, in a rural state like Vermont. We are grateful to all our leaders and the incredibly supportive families who have advocated alongside their youth for easier access to care.”
Statehouse Headliners is intended primarily to educate, not advocate. It is e-mailed to an ever-growing list of interested Vermonters, public officials and media. Guy Page is affiliated with the Vermont Energy Partnership; the Vermont Alliance for Ethical Healthcare; and Physicians, Families and Friends for a Better Vermont.
You know what’s next, insurance companies if forced to fund elective sex change surgery in Vermont, will simply stop selling health insurance in the state. Eventually there will be no coverage available. Unintended consequences strike again! Way to go Montpelier.
Talk about Orwellian double-speak–“gender affirmation”!
It’s quite the opposite, affirming delusions of being what one is not.
Kids are too innocent to realize that the adults who do not correct them are morons.
So what happens when they realize the horrible, irreversible mistake they have made?
Suicide.
I can’t believe how stupid large portions of our society have become. It is beyond tragic.
It’s being made to happen on purpose. Psychological warfare.
This kind of idiotic dystopia was predicted long ago in science fiction, e.g. The Marching Morons, by CM Kornbluth. Now it is reality.
Here’s a rock video for the day: https://youtu.be/75DbkiZvxX4
You are what you is…
If gender is one’s choice, then surgery related to it is elective and insurers, to keep the cost of insurance from becoming astronomical, should not be required by law to cover medical services, surgery, that is not essential to the physical health and well being of the insured. Like, broken nose? Surgery is covered. Don’t like how you look? Pay for it yourself. So that all the rest of us can afford to be covered for essential medical services. I have no quarrel with a girl wanting to become a boy, but I do when they want other people to pay for it. It’s like wanting insurance to cover the beauty parlor bill.
Gender confusion is not a scientific reason to be changing your body,
if the kid can’t afford it themself no one should be made to pay.
Insurance companies or Parents who had no say. I hope every leftard
supporting and proposing these ASSAULTS on Biology rots in hell..Twice…
The state shouldn’t be able to tell a company what they can and cannot cover or who is covered. It will cause less insurance companies to operate which will decrease competition and quality and increase the cost of service.
If an insurance company wants to specialize on sex changes and pay for people under 21 to get one than whatever but the state forcing companies to do so is outrageous.
Insurance companies shouldn’t have to cover this.
For example: I need youth affirming surgery. My skin is getting old and tired looking and a facelift would put my outside in synch with how I feel inside, but it’s not covered and shouldn’t be.