Here's one thing jacking up health premiums (other than Obamacare or evil insurance executives)

[^_^ 5,021]

SAN FRANCISCO — When Gina Duncan decided to undergo the medical treatment that would make her a woman, she had plenty to fear. The reactions of her children, her professional colleagues and friends. How her body would respond to hours on the operating table. If, at the end of it, she would look female enough so strangers wouldn't gawk.

What the Orlando mortgage banker didn't have to be anxious about was how she would pay for two of her surgeries. Her employer of 10 years, Wells Fargo, included breast augmentation and genital reconstruction as coverable expenses under its employee health plan. Duncan was told the San Francisco-based bank already had had 16 other employees transition to new genders and assigned a benefits specialist to walk her through the process.

"They had a template in place, and it was surprisingly supporting and mentally encouraging," said Duncan, 55, who four years later still works for Wells Fargo. "So much of what I'd heard involved people who ended up losing their job, losing their family, losing their friends, becoming destitute."

With little fanfare, more and more large corporations, including Coca-Cola, Campbell Soup and Walt Disney, have expanded their insurance coverage to meet the needs of transgender workers. The trend follows a concerted push by transgender rights advocates.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/B3/20110221/NJBIZ/102210323/More-U-S-companies-covering-transgender-surgery?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Edited February 22, 2011 by \

[Pooky 3,786]

And yet some insurance providers specifically exclude treatments for obesity from their coverage. Figures.

Consistency ... just one more reason insurance companies need to be gone from the basic level of the healthcare system in this country.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Great. Next, they'll be paying for ####### enlargement.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Great. Next, they'll be paying for ####### enlargement.

on a waiting list there Steven?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

on a waiting list there Steven?

Oh, mines too small for that. I'd need a transplant. That's what I'm waiting for.

[Krikit 1,164]

Yes, because there are SO many transgender people inundating the system. Why, I can barely get an appointment with my GP because of them.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Oh, mines too small for that. I'd need a transplant. That's what I'm waiting for.

Can you imagine...

"Sir, we have a nice 9 incher from a car accident victim. The body is mangled, but the unit is well intact."

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Oh, mines too small for that. I'd need a transplant. That's what I'm waiting for.

Perhaps that Postop will let you use hers. She obviously doesn't want hers any more.

[^_^ 5,021]

Yes, because there are SO many transgender people inundating the system. Why, I can barely get an appointment with my GP because of them.

Insurance costs usually don't get jacked up a lot because of people inundating the system. The real impact is from 'extraordinary' surgical and/or life extending measures. If we decided to withdraw life support to everyone over 70, we'd probably have no insurance crisis at all. As for the surgical procedures in described in this article, of course it impacts insurance premiums - surgery is expensive. And this surgery isn't even to make a sick person well again. It's pretty much non essential.

[sjr09 155]

Oh, mines too small for that. I'd need a transplant. That's what I'm waiting for.

Until then, concentrate more on your technique.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Insurance costs usually don't get jacked up a lot because of people inundating the system. The real impact is from 'extraordinary' surgical and/or life extending measures. If we decided to withdraw life support to everyone over 70, we'd probably have no insurance crisis at all. As for the surgical procedures in described in this article, of course it impacts insurance premiums - surgery is expensive. And this surgery isn't even to make a sick person well again. It's pretty much non essential.

Agreed - people ought to insure themselves separately for non-essential, elective procedures. I don't see how that should be part of essential health insurance coverage that everyone should have - at least in the form of a high deductible plan. Catastrophic coverage. If one wants to pay for their regular doctors visits out of pocket or out of an HSA, then so be it.