Posted on Oct 22, 2023
Georgia agrees to pay for gender-affirming care for public employees, settling a lawsuit
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The state of Georgia will start paying for gender-affirming health care for state employees, public school teachers and former employees covered by a state health insurance plan, settling another in a string of lawsuits against Georgia agencies aiming to force them to pay for gender-confirmation surgery and other procedures.
The plaintiffs moved to dismiss their case Thursday in Atlanta federal court, announcing they had reached a settlement with the State Health Benefit Plan.
The December lawsuit argued the insurance plan illegally discriminated by refusing to pay for gender-affirming care.
“There’s no justification, morally, medically, legally or in any other way for treating transgender healthcare as different and denying people access to it,” David Brown, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a phone interview Thursday.
The state Department of Community Health, which oversees the insurance plan, did not immediately respond Thursday to an email seeking comment.
The plaintiffs moved to dismiss their case Thursday in Atlanta federal court, announcing they had reached a settlement with the State Health Benefit Plan.
The December lawsuit argued the insurance plan illegally discriminated by refusing to pay for gender-affirming care.
“There’s no justification, morally, medically, legally or in any other way for treating transgender healthcare as different and denying people access to it,” David Brown, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a phone interview Thursday.
The state Department of Community Health, which oversees the insurance plan, did not immediately respond Thursday to an email seeking comment.
Georgia agrees to pay for gender-affirming care for public employees, settling a lawsuit
Posted from nbcnews.com
Transgender
Gender
LGBTQ+
Lawsuit
Posted 7 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Sad that a Lawsuit was Necessary to Make the State do the Right Thing!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The plaintiffs in the lawsuit settled Thursday included three transgender men. Micha Rich is a staff accountant at the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts, and Benjamin Johnson is a media clerk with the Bibb County School District in Macon. The mother of the third man, identified only as John Doe, is a Division of Family and Children Services worker in Paulding County and covers the college student on her insurance.
All three were assigned female at birth but transitioned after therapy. All three appealed their denials for top surgery to reduce or remove breasts and won findings from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that Georgia was discriminating against them.
"I am thrilled to know that none of my trans colleagues will ever have to go through what I did," Rich said in a statement.
A court ruling found a similar ban in North Carolina to be illegal; the state is appealing. A Wisconsin ban was overturned in 2018. West Virginia and Iowa have also lost lawsuits over employee coverage, while Florida and Arizona are being sued."
..."The plaintiffs in the lawsuit settled Thursday included three transgender men. Micha Rich is a staff accountant at the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts, and Benjamin Johnson is a media clerk with the Bibb County School District in Macon. The mother of the third man, identified only as John Doe, is a Division of Family and Children Services worker in Paulding County and covers the college student on her insurance.
All three were assigned female at birth but transitioned after therapy. All three appealed their denials for top surgery to reduce or remove breasts and won findings from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that Georgia was discriminating against them.
"I am thrilled to know that none of my trans colleagues will ever have to go through what I did," Rich said in a statement.
A court ruling found a similar ban in North Carolina to be illegal; the state is appealing. A Wisconsin ban was overturned in 2018. West Virginia and Iowa have also lost lawsuits over employee coverage, while Florida and Arizona are being sued."
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