The Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 8-6 that coverage exclusions for gender-affirming care in North Carolina's health plan and gender-affirming surgery in West Virginia Medicaid are discriminatory based on sex and gender identity.
The court decision is similar to a previous ruling against West Virginia's transgender sports ban, with West Virginia Attorney General planning to appeal, citing dissatisfaction with decisions from a court dominated by Biden- and Obama-appointees.
West Virginia plaintiff Shauntae Anderson, a Black transgender woman, expressed relief over the ruling, calling the state's denial of coverage for transgender healthcare as deeply dehumanizing and expressing hope for fair access to essential healthcare.
The federal court's decision signifies progress towards ensuring Medicaid covers necessary healthcare for transgender individuals, despite potential appeals aiming at invalidating the ruling.
[
add
]
[
|
|
...
]