dear friends:
i am enclosing an email that i received regarding the medicare policy on
gender identity disorder. i do not know anything about this issue, besides
what i am forwarding below, including the author's response to me when i
queried for more info.
the language of disorder and illness in NOT words i would choose. this,
however, does seem to be an important issue to act on.
if anyone has any additional info on this please do contact me. the author's
email is also listed below.
ari
arlene istar lev
(who by the way is NOT yet a doctor)
post below:
Dear Dr. Lev,
I have asked the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reconsider
their policy of excluding healthcare for the diagnosis of Gender Identity
Disorder (GID) and they have agreed. This email is a request for your input
on the matter.
The 65 page documented request is available at
http://home1.gte.net/lstewart/index.htm. The HHS agency response covers the
review process, contains mail and Internet contact numbers, and is available
at http://home1.gte.net/lstewart/status.htm#how. An initial decision is to
be made before mid-March 2000.
Did you know this 1981 HHS policy is clearly in violation of the Medicare
Act? Or that recently that a court found a person denied benefits solelyon
the basis of a Gender Identity Disorder diagnosis may file a claim as a civil
rights violation? The fact is, Medicare policy currently covers all the
services, surgeries, and treatments, normally associated with GID but
excludes coverage if the diagnosis of GID (transsexualism) is present.
While the evidence would show this to be a pretty clear issue, it is bias
that was evident in the 1981 policy, and in every case involving gender,
transgender, and sex, that could force this decision to not reflect the
facts. Evidence clearly shows Gender Identity Disorder is a serious illness
that has a prescribed course of treatment that is not a cure but is
effective.
If the issue at hand was cancer, or the common cold, we would not think
twice about providing treatment. Do we change our viewpoint when the focus
is taken from "cancer and the sick" to "homosexual and AIDS" or "transsexual
and sex reassignment surgery?" Is one worse or better than the other? Need
we compare dying from cancer with high rates of suicide and disease for the
those with GID? Why should we ask more of sex reassignment than we do of
chemotherapy?
I am asking you to ask the HHS Coverage and Analysis group to reconsider this
issue of Gender Identity Disorder and related treatments in a fair and
impartial manner, just as if the issue were any other illness. Please ask
that this reconsideration be based in fact not bias or misinformation.
Sincerely,
Lori E. Stewart
[log in to unmask] (L. Stewart)
Lori's response to my asking about her (his) involvement in this issue:
I have no interest in this issue short political activism and am the author
of the brief and request. The email you received has been sent to many
interested parties, including all major gender related groups. (i.e.
HBIGDA, IJT board, etc).
You are correct, HCFA policy only directly influences Medicare however
indirectly, and with great authority, effects all private insurance. HCFA
policy is the support a private insurer has for disallowing SRS, given the
policy otherwise covers medically necessary healthcare. Under ERISA and
most private insurance policies the exclusion of any type healthcare is
possible, if not conflicting, ambiguous, etc. HCFA policy sets the
standards for care in the U.S.
While my conclusions were simply the result of the many footnotes in the
brief, I knew that all interested parties would have the opportunity to
provide additional opinion/evidence before any changes. This is the purpose
of my notifying many people. Please pass this on to others. I fear bias
will not allow a fair review unless many people notify HHS they are also
concerned.
Lori
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