Medicaid insurance providers in Michigan cannot refuse benefits for sex reassignment surgeries and hormone replacement medications.
The governor’s office recently codified the antidiscrimination language into the state’s Medicaid Provider Manual. This is already state policy.
Erin Knott is the executive director of Equality Michigan. She says this is significant.
“I’m hopeful that this will just be one more step in the right direction as it relates to making our transgender friends and neighbors feel that they are an included part of our community and our society.”
The state Department of Health and Human Services says there used to be inconsistencies in coverage. Now, Medicaid providers cannot discriminate based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identification.