Arizona Health Plan, Trans Employees End Dispute Over Care Pay

Arizona may no longer enforce categorical bans on medically necessary gender dysphoria care in state employee health plans, following a trial court’s approval of a settlement in a long-running lawsuit brought by a university professor.

Judge Rosemary Márquez, of the US District Court for the District of Arizona, on Sept. 29 signed off on a deal in a class action that started as an individual suit brought by Russell Toomey, who alleged that the state plans’ blanket exclusion violated Title VII’s prohibition on workplace discrimination and transgender employees’ rights under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

It was one of ...