Posted on 02/04/2010 3:21:28 AM PST by kingattax
PORTLAND, Ore. - The city of Portland wants to expand its medical coverage for employees who want to get a sex change, a move that will cost $108,000 a year.
According to Mayor Sam Adam’s spokesman, Roy Kaufmann, the city would pay 95 percent of the cost for the procedure and leave the remaining five percent for employees to pay out of pocket.
He said it would cover a lifetime benefit of $75,000 for each employee who gets gender reassignment surgery. Employees covered under the city’s core plan would pay about $20 a year more in premiums.
It’s an effort to provide equal benefits to city workers, Kaufmann said.
“The fact this has come up at all is because the city is looking at providing better equity and equality in how we issue benefits to our employees,” he said.
He said the procedure isn’t considered cosmetic and the American Medical Association has recognized it as a necessary procedure for patients suffering from gender dysphoria.
The city’s labor unions have until April to decide whether to recommend the change to City Council which will have the final say. If the unions don’t sign off on the proposal then the issue dies.
The issue doesn’t come without controversy.
Cynthia Corke said getting around in her motorized wheelchair is challenging enough, but it’s nothing compared to getting medical coverage for basic procedures like dental care.
“Why should they go for something like a sex change when I can’t even get insurance?” she said. “I don’t think the money should go for something like that. There’s too many important things and people sleeping on the streets.
Others, however, said they’re all for the expanded coverage.
“It should be recognized as we’re starting to recognize same-sex marriage. If someone wants to change their sex, yeah, most definitely,” said Art Rios.
So does Damon Woodcock, who was a former Portland police officer who paid for his surgeries to become a man. He said it would have saved him thousands of dollars.
So far, officials with the city said the Human Resources department hasn’t yet had one inquiry about having insurance pay for sex changes
well yeah there are
she to he = Adadictomy
he to she = Lopitophomy
You gotta be pulling my... er... leg, with that name.
I always wondered how cheap health insurance could be if we were all not forced to pay for these kinds of elective procedures.
There could be a lesson to learn from that.
Will anybody take it?
Unfrigging real. Additionally, the vast majority of the employees who don’t want this surgery have to pay higher insurance premiums anyway.
The greedy insurance companies vs government: who is to blame for the rising costs?
you ‘scientists’ are a constant source of amazement :)
So they tell grandma to go die because there’s no money, but are very happy to use your money to chop and shape genitals.
If you don’t really want a sex change, can you sue to get the cash instead?
Just get a lovedoll, declare it a ‘dependant’ on your health-care plan... and then take it in for the procedure.
Then reap the benefits.
:-P
California, Oregon and Washington should merge into one state. They deserve each other....
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