Thursday, October 06, 2011

NY Transpeeps Medicaid Coverage Hopes Crushed

Well, the dissing of New York state's trans population continues. 

Just as hopes of Empire State transpeople were buoyed by the possibility of them getting Medicaid coverage for transgender medical care was raised by a September 30 report stating a task force studying ways to revamp the system was considering doing so, those hopes were crushed by that same New York Medicaid advisory panel.

New York State Health Commissioner Nirav Shah says that no consideration is being given to using government Medicaid funds to pay for "gender reassignment surgery."

Note to Health Commissioner Shah:  Transpeople do pay taxes in NY state, so those government funds you speak of do come from work that was performed by trans New Yorkers.

The working group for Cuomo's Medicaid Redesign Task Force had proposed to "provide Medicaid coverage for transgender surgery/hormone replacement therapy and treatment."

You really need to, in light of the fact these Medicaid exclusions on trans related medical care  disproportionately impact trans people of color

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D) immediate response was less definitive, saying simply he hadn't yet reviewed any recommendations from the working group.  

Yeah, the governor can be so definitive, bold and ot front with his leadership when it comes to getting same gender marriage passed, but not on GENDA or any issues that affect the Empire State's trans people.

Why am I not surprised?

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