Last October, a Connecticut Law Tribune editorial asked “When Will Health Care Be Free From Discrimination?” Noting that our state’s well-deserved reputation for protecting our weakest and most vulnerable citizens from discrimination had been illustrated with the passage of Public Act 11-55, which amended our state’s antidiscrimination laws to specifically prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression, the Law Tribune editorial asked Connecticut employers to step up and meet the legal and social challenge presented by health-care discrimination and eliminate the blanket exclusions in health insurance policies for gender identity-related medical treatments.
With neither fanfare nor controversy, Connecticut has stepped up and responded to the challenge. First, addressing the needs of its own employees, the state’s Health Care Cost Containment Committee agreed that all medically necessary gender identity-related medical requirements will be included in the state health plan. And then second, addressing the needs of other citizens in our state, the Connecticut Insurance Department issued a bulletin directing all insurance companies, benefit societies, hospital service corporations, medical service corporations and health-care centers that deliver or issue individual and group health insurance policies in Connecticut ensure that individuals are not denied access to medically necessary care because of the individual’s gender identity or gender expression.
