Blue Cross Illinois Affiliate Sued Over Gender Surgery Exclusion

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois was sued in federal court on Monday by the parents of a 15-year-old who allege the insurer’s policies deny transgender individuals of “coverage for medically-necessary treatment of gender dysphoria.”

The plaintiff, Patricia Pritchard, receives health coverage through the Catholic Health Initiatives Medical Plan, administered by BCBSIL, with her son, “C.P.,” a dependent. The suit, brought on behalf of the parents by civil rights group Lambda Legal, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, and alleges BCBSIL denied coverage for C.P.’s gender dysphoria.

BCBSIL covered some of C.P.’s treatments, ...