(CBN News) The California Department of Insurance has directed all insurance companies in the Golden State to pay for the mastectomies of any gender transition patients under the age of 18.
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a General Counsel Opinion Letter clarifying that under existing California law, health insurance companies may not deny coverage based solely on a patient’s age for female-to-male patients undergoing “gender-affirming” care for gender dysphoria.
“For far too long, individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria have had to battle a host of challenges to get access to gender-affirming care in order to be their true selves,” Lara said. “Social stigma, misconceptions about gender dysphoria and its treatment, and outdated medical criteria create barriers to necessary medical care that can lead to tragic results for individuals with gender dysphoria, especially for our transgender youth.”