The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare allegedly hindered individuals from receiving gender reconstruction surgeries, according to a lawsuit filed on Sept. 29.
Idaho Legal Aid Services filed a complaint on behalf of two transgender individuals, 18-year-old MH and 21-year-old TB, saying the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) blocked the individuals from receiving Medicaid coverage for their gender reconstruction surgery. IDHW officials Dave Jeppesen and Magi Hamso allegedly deemed the surgery for TB as cosmetic and not essential, and has delayed their response for approval of MH’s surgery.
“Defendants Jeppesen’s, Hamso’s and IDHW’s discriminatory policy punishes vulnerable transgender individuals, including MH and TB, for being transgender and taking necessary steps to live in accordance with their gender identities,” the lawsuit alleged. (RELATED: Telling A Student To Get An Abortion Could Be A Felony, Idaho Universities Warn)
Both individuals allegedly have gender dysphoria, a disorder in which an individual feels as if their gender identity does not align with their birth sex, the lawsuit stated. Gender reconstruction surgery is allegedly a treatment used for the disorder.
“The long delay in receiving Medicaid approval for her gender affirming surgery has made TB very mentally fragile and I am afraid she will once again lose hope and attempt to take her life,” TB’s parent told the Idaho Capitol Sun.
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Allegedly under IDHW and Idaho’s Medicaid policy, the surgeries are deemed cosmetic and not necessary, thus keeping MH and TB from receiving the surgeries, the lawsuit stated.
“There is a broad consensus within the medical community that genital reconstruction surgery is a safe, effective and medically necessary treatment for many transgender individuals with gender dysphoria,” the lawsuit alleged.
IDHW and Idaho Legal Aid Services did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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