San Francisco’s Department of Public Health has voted to start covering the cost of gender-reassignment surgery for residents, reports the AP.
Under the city’s 5-year-old universal health-care plan, Healthy San Francisco, it will offer genital reconstruction, mastectomies and other surgeries associated with transitioning. Hormones, health screenings and counseling are already provided.
“The community felt the exclusion on Healthy San Francisco was discriminatory and we wanted to change that as the first step,’ said Public Health Director Barbara Garcia, who acknowledged studies would have to be done to determine many people would need surgeries, the cost involved with the procedures, and other factors, before implementing such a program.
“Like so many of my transgender peers, my need for transition-related care was so important that I focused on it above meeting my other needs,” said trans advocate Cyd Nova. “Today, as a trans health care provider, I often see participants at the clinic who face the predicament of choosing between saving money for transition-related care or meeting basic needs. This resolution supports a move towards a healthy and empowered trans community.”
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Trans Awareness Week starts November 12 and culminates on November 20 with Trans Day of Remembrance
