Differential Access to Transgender Inclusive Insurance and Healthcare in the United States: Challenges to Health across the Life Course

Abstract

This commentary explores how different types of insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, state government, and private insurance) address issues of transgender-related care, and how access to transgender affirming insurance coverage and healthcare across life stages depends both on type of insurance and geographical location. We argue that the current state of transgender health insurance policy and practices are inadequate for achieving goals of continuity of care and positive health outcomes across the life course. Transgender individuals are uninsured at a higher rate than their cisgender (non-transgender) counterparts, face discrimination or refusal of care from their providers, and, if insured, experience denials of coverage from insurance companies. These ruptures in coverage can be addressed through extending insurance coverage for all treatments necessary to affirm a transgender person's gender identity, training to support transgender affirming healthcare, and research on the health needs of the transgender community across the life course.

Keywords: Transgender; health insurance; health policy; inequality; life course.