Insurer illegally discriminated by denying trans teens coverage for top surgery, court rules

Federal district court ruling says Premera Blue Cross discriminated against trans minors by denying top surgery coverage

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a ruling late last Friday, April 18, declaring that Premera Blue Cross’ arbitrary and categorical policy to deny coverage for gender-affirming chest surgery for patients under 18, regardless of the patient’s medical needs, unlawfully discriminated based on sex in violation of Affordable Care Act. Lambda Legal and Sirianni Youtz Spoonemore Hamburger PLLC filed a federal lawsuit…

Insurer illegally discriminated by denying trans teens coverage for top surgery, court rules

Insurance company Premera Blue Cross illegally discriminated against two transgender teens by denying them coverage for top surgery, a federal judge ruled Friday.Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter.In Washington State, U.S. District Judge Thomas Zilly ruled that by not covering “procedures known as mastectomy, breast reduction, or chest or top surgery” for trans and nonbinary minors bu…