[News] [USA] GOP Lawmakers Protest Possible VA Move on Transgender Surgery
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Stephanie Stevens
Jun 24, 2016, 9:49:52 AM6/24/16
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Wall Street Journal, NY, USA
GOP Lawmakers Protest Possible VA Move on Transgender Surgery
Officials argue agency needs to handle more basic veterans’ care first
By Ben Kesling
June 23, 2016 3:03 p.m. ET
Dozens of Republican lawmakers sent an open letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday opposing the department’s possible rule change to fund sex-reassignment surgeries.
The letter cites budget issues, the need to prioritize combat-related injuries and a lack of research into the matter as reasons for the department to rescind a likely proposal made public weeks ago to change policy and fund surgeries for transgender veterans.
“We do not believe the VA should be discussing the potential coverage of gender alteration surgeries as the agency faces challenges in delivering health care to those veterans whose service directly resulted in their need for medical treatments,” said the letter to VA Secretary Robert McDonald, written by Rep. Charles Boustany (R., La.), a medical doctor, and signed by a total of 30 members of Congress.
Weeks ago, the VA unofficially proposed a rule change that would allow transgender veterans to seek surgical treatment for gender dysphoria and would allow them to use VA resources to surgically change their sex, determined on a case-by-case basis.
“The VA has not demonstrated the ability to consistently provide even the most basic care for service-connected issues,” Dr. Boustany said in a statement. “The VA should withdraw this proposal immediately.”
Current VA policy provides coverage to transgender veterans deemed “medically necessary” but stops short of sex-reassignment surgery.
The VA will respond directly to the members of congress who sent the letter said VA spokeswoman Walinda West, and added in a statement that “increased understanding of both gender dysphoria and surgical techniques in this area has improved significantly and is now widely accepted as medically necessary treatment.”
The VA has not formally proposed the rule change but is exploring the topic further, she added.
From 2006 to 2013 the VA identified 2,662 diagnoses related to transgender status, with the number of transgender veterans rising since 2008. In 2011, the department mandated standardized care for veterans.
“Right now the VA is not able to medically or honorably treat those trans veterans because of an artificial and unscientific ban on specific medically necessary treatments,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “Congress should focus on improving service to veterans, not denying medical treatment based on outdated prejudices.”
The Obama administration has steadily been expanding access to federally-funded sex-reassignment surgery, with Medicare in 2014 dropping its prohibition on funding such procedures. The Affordable Care Act also prohibits private insurers from barring such procedures or other services based on a person’s gender identity.
While the VA has not yet “formally” proposed the rule change, and hasn’t provided any timeline, the informal announcement of the possible rule change was made on the Executive Office of the President’s website weeks ago.
Copyright ©2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-lawmakers-protest-possible-va-move-on-transgender-surgery-1466708618
GOP Lawmakers Protest Possible VA Move on Transgender Surgery
Officials argue agency needs to handle more basic veterans’ care first
By Ben Kesling
June 23, 2016 3:03 p.m. ET
Dozens of Republican lawmakers sent an open letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday opposing the department’s possible rule change to fund sex-reassignment surgeries.
The letter cites budget issues, the need to prioritize combat-related injuries and a lack of research into the matter as reasons for the department to rescind a likely proposal made public weeks ago to change policy and fund surgeries for transgender veterans.
“We do not believe the VA should be discussing the potential coverage of gender alteration surgeries as the agency faces challenges in delivering health care to those veterans whose service directly resulted in their need for medical treatments,” said the letter to VA Secretary Robert McDonald, written by Rep. Charles Boustany (R., La.), a medical doctor, and signed by a total of 30 members of Congress.
Weeks ago, the VA unofficially proposed a rule change that would allow transgender veterans to seek surgical treatment for gender dysphoria and would allow them to use VA resources to surgically change their sex, determined on a case-by-case basis.
“The VA has not demonstrated the ability to consistently provide even the most basic care for service-connected issues,” Dr. Boustany said in a statement. “The VA should withdraw this proposal immediately.”
Current VA policy provides coverage to transgender veterans deemed “medically necessary” but stops short of sex-reassignment surgery.
The VA will respond directly to the members of congress who sent the letter said VA spokeswoman Walinda West, and added in a statement that “increased understanding of both gender dysphoria and surgical techniques in this area has improved significantly and is now widely accepted as medically necessary treatment.”
The VA has not formally proposed the rule change but is exploring the topic further, she added.
From 2006 to 2013 the VA identified 2,662 diagnoses related to transgender status, with the number of transgender veterans rising since 2008. In 2011, the department mandated standardized care for veterans.
“Right now the VA is not able to medically or honorably treat those trans veterans because of an artificial and unscientific ban on specific medically necessary treatments,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “Congress should focus on improving service to veterans, not denying medical treatment based on outdated prejudices.”
The Obama administration has steadily been expanding access to federally-funded sex-reassignment surgery, with Medicare in 2014 dropping its prohibition on funding such procedures. The Affordable Care Act also prohibits private insurers from barring such procedures or other services based on a person’s gender identity.
While the VA has not yet “formally” proposed the rule change, and hasn’t provided any timeline, the informal announcement of the possible rule change was made on the Executive Office of the President’s website weeks ago.
Copyright ©2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-lawmakers-protest-possible-va-move-on-transgender-surgery-1466708618
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