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I just read an article about how more and more companies are offering SRS and Breast Augmentation for Transsexual employees in their Health Insurance plans. It talked about Wells Fargo Bank, Coca Cola,AT&T, New York Life, and others are offering SRS as a means to promote tolerance and diversity. I left a comment on the article, but I can tell you that it definitely brought out the bigots in full force on the comments page. Most of them, had absolutely no experience with the issue and spouted off from their own point of view. There were also quite a few who stood up for our community too, so at least there are a lot more out there who are not blinded by the bigotry they are spewing.
Comments
A drop in the bucket
Care of TS patients is such a tiny drop in the bucket with respect to overall insurance costs.
While I don't care for the
While I don't care for the HRC since they agreed to throw TG under the bus over ENDA a few years ago on the chance they could get a ENDA for the GLB, they did participate in a study for the insurance industry that convinced them the costs for covering TS surgeries would be minimal compared to other concerns. However, it remains up to the company(s) to make the provisions part of their insurance packages, and most will not do it from bigotry.
Every year, HRC puts out almost the same article. This year it added Wells Fargo to the list, but the rest of the article would fit well into last years. AT&T has been offering that coverage for several years, though you have to work for them long enough to become "invested" to take advantage of it, logically enough I guess. The only people I have known who worked for them were in the call center, and they only lasted 6 months before they were burned out and disgusted with the harrassment from their supervisors. Not enough time to apply for the surgery.
CaroL
CaroL
HRC vs LGB
Edeyn Hannah Blackeney
The Infamous Intersex Transgender Asian Lesbian Atheist Chick of the Ozarks
That it brought out...
That it brought out the bigots is no surprise...
But, yes, major corporations ARE moving to provide more inclusive medical benefits. In order to score a 100% on the HRC CEI for 2011, they have to provide Trans care with a lifetime surgery cap of at least $75,000 on at least one policy... And, getting that 100% is considered a good thing to much of Corporate America.
Anne
Many companies try to do it right
My major employer in MN offers trans health coverage and has for years. Quite a few companies do actually. The trouble often lies in actually getting things covered once trans health is stated in the policy. Much of the trouble lies in the claims administrators and communication with the doctors about medical necessity. A number of the procedures typically code as cosmetic, but are medically necessary for trans folks. Some of the meds are uncommon enough that they are not formulary, making the cost outrageous. Many providers do not work with insurance companies, forcing you to pay up front and seek reimbursement afterward. These issues are being faced by a friend at another major MN employer. And it's hard to blame the company. They really tried to do the right thing. My friend went to the VP they worked with to get the benefit into the policy. The VP was frustrated at the trouble too saying, "But I thought we took care of everything." He was ready to help iron things out.
This is the next big push for HRC with respect to trans benefits. I'm not sure they changed the wording in the CEI (I fill it out for our company), but they are stepping up their examination of the coverage in practice. I was a little peeved about the ENDA thing too, but HRC has really been helpful as we try to implement worthwhile procedures. HRC, in conjuction with the Quorum, the Twin Cities LGBT business organization, is sponsoring a day of learning on the issue @ the HQ of Best Buy in a couple of weeks. Deena Fidas from HRC will be bringing real examples of helpful plan language and strategies for working with claims administrators. I'll be attending, and when I asked for an HR rep to attend with me the HR director readily assigned someone to go along and help us with the changes. Hopefully by mid-summer we'll have some real improvements implemented. I have to say we truly do have excellent support from our management in trying to make our company an inclusive place with benefits that work. And I also have to say that I do get a lot of help and support on these changes by my GL&B friends in the employee resource group. The world is far from perfect for trans folks, but it is way better than it was even a decade ago.
One more thing...
I feel like I hit the jackpot with a great supervisor. I'm closeted to most of my workgroup, but out to my supervisor. He actually saw the same article that you found in our local paper and brought it in to me. I nearly cried. Now if only I could transition...
Alphabet soup
For the benefit of those not in the US, could somebody please expand some of the many TLA's used in the comments? Reading this lot is like listening to two Army officers having a conversation...
SRS I get (natch) and I can just about remember AT&T (that's Satan, right?). The rest are just a complete mystery. It would be nice to be able to follow the drift of this blog.
TIA, Penny.
Sorry Penny! MN -
Sorry Penny!
MN - Minnesota
VP - Vice President
HRC - Human Rights Campaign - The largest LGBT advocacy organization in the US. They do a lot of lobbying, rate employers on LGBT equality, provide info and training on LGBT topics, fundraising, and more fundraising.
CEI - Corporate Equality Index - The tool used to rate major US corporations on LGBT equality. Many corporations strive to achieve the 100% rating. Every few years they make the criteria a little more challenging to give the companies something to work for and address the changing needs of LGB&T folks as we achieve greater equality.
ENDA - Employment Non-Discrimination Act - A bill that has been proposed in the US Congress repeatedly but never passed. It would prevent discrimination in hiring and firing based on being GLBT. A couple of years ago the Human Rights Campaign was lobbying for a bill that contained protections for gay and lesbian people but not transgender people thinking it wouldn't pass if they included us. Needless to say, that seriously pissed off many trans folks, and it didn't pass anyway.
HQ - Headquarters
HR - Human Resources - The group in US companies that takes care of payroll, benefits, hiring/firing, employer/employee relations, etc.
TIA???
TLA's???
;-)
Thanks
Much obliged. I wish we had something similar over here, although I do know they tend to approach things from a different angle sometimes. (Usually that of complete stupidity, but they're politicians and bureaucrats, what can one expect?)
TLA -> Three Letter Acronym
TIA -> Thanks In Advance :)
Most of my acronyms come from the IT world. I guess it's whatever one is familiar with.
Penny
Good news with a dangerous twist
I like the fact that companies are now starting to add surgery to their policy options. I don't like the fact that it was called transgender surgery. Transgender is supposed to be an umbrella term but more and more it seems to be pushed to eliminate the word transsexual and to imply we are all gay.I'm sure many of the crossdressers on hear who also identify with the word transgender are heterosexual as well. I personally don't identify with the word transgender at all but support those who wish to as long as they realize that not everyone likes the word or wishes to be pulled against their will under an LGBTG umbrella.