New transgender-inclusive benefits for US college students

by Luca Lauro - 2013.05.10

Duke University has joined the growing list of American universities and colleges that offer health insurance coverage for gender confirmation surgery for transgender students.



According to the university magazine, college administrators signed a new contract with the university’s health insurance provider, that will cover this type of surgery as of next autumn. All crucial aspects of transgender health care, such as counselling and hormone therapy, will be included in the coverage. "This is really important symbolically for the Duke community. Moreover, it will help us remain competitive when recruiting students, because in the past we have had transgendered students that have been extremely successful." Jacob Tobia, president of the university said.



A few days ago, Tufts University joined the list already drawn up by TransgenderLaw.org, according to which there are 37 colleges and universities that cover hormones and gender confirmation surgeries for students. These events show how the path toward change is not always easy, but certainly possible. "It’s just about taking care of the health needs of all of our students," Michelle Bowdler, senior director of health and wellness services at Tufts, said. Extra cost for coverage plan was minimal, but the university had to fight against its insurance company until when it decided to change of provider. Most insurance companies, do ensure hormone therapy but with no additional benefits, such as sex reassignment surgery.



US transgender students have been fighting for many years to obtain a coverage for this service and big names such as Berkeley, Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, Yale, Princeton, Michigan University, NY University, Northwestern University are some of the institutions that provide it nowadays. Others currently cover only hormone treatment, including Purdue University, Rutgers University and Ohio State University, whereas 20 universities in total have trans-friendly plans for their employees and students.



Colleges and universities aren't the only institutions in the United States offering health insurance coverage of the costly surgery. According to the Human Rights Campaign, the number of major U.S. companies covering the cost of gender confirmation surgery for transgender workers has more than doubled as of 2011.



