Premera’s Trans Surgery Coverage Exclusion Ruled Discriminatory

Premera Blue Cross facially discriminated against transgender teens by adopting a general policy that excludes chest surgery coverage for minors transitioning from female to male or nonbinary, a federal court said.

The exclusion violates Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination in health-care programs and activities on the basis of sex, the US District Court for the Western District of Washington said April 18. Judge Thomas S. Zilly granted partial summary judgment for two trans teens, who sued the insurer in 2023.

This is a victory for trans rights at a time when the nation is deeply ...