This week the Sparks City Council voted to approve insurance coverage for gender reassignment surgeries for city employees. Reno Public Radio’s Anh Gray reports this follows the state’s recent decision to cover trangender-related medical care.
The Affordable Care Act mandates that recipients of federal funding must cover transgender medical care, including gender reassignment surgeries. Back in July, Nevada began offering that coverage. Sparks City Manager Steve Driscoll says the city council also decided to revise their insurance plan.
“The City of Sparks hasn’t been directed to do it yet, but we believe it’s just a matter of time based on the action going on across the country," Driscoll says. "[Eventually] it will be required of a city of our size, but it's more importantly, it’s the right thing to do for our employees to help them with their gender dysphoria.”
The American Medical Association deems transgender-related medical care, including hormone therapy, gender reassignment surgery and mental health counseling as medically necessary. The City of Sparks' new insurance plan will go into effect next year.
