Georgia agrees to pay for gender-affirming care for public employees, settling a lawsuit

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.