That violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the ACLU said.

However, on July 12, the Group Insurance Board approved ending its exclusion of benefits and services related to gender reassignment or sexual transformation, effective January 2017.

The board’s lawyers recommended the change after the federal government issued final regulations in May regarding a portion of the Affordable Care Act related to discrimination, according to a board document.

Andrews said she had no idea the policy change was coming, and it came too late for her.

She said she became aware of her gender dysphoria around the age of 15. In recent years, doctors and therapists recommended gender reassignment treatment. She struggled with anxiety and depression, and last year felt she needed to proceed with surgery to transition from male to female.

“It came to a point where this has to change or I’m going to have worse health problems,” she said.