A class-action lawsuit was filed against the Trump administration by federal employees and their families challenging a mandate implemented this year that prohibits insurance coverage of gender-affirming care. The plaintiffs argue that the prohibition creates substantial barriers to potentially lifesaving medical treatment and has caused some individuals to leave government employment. The lawsuit was preceded by administrative claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Approximately 39,400 transgender individuals receive health insurance through the impacted programs: the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits. Gender-affirming care has been covered under these insurance plans since 2015, following the Obama administration’s removal of a previous ban on such coverage. Over the subsequent decade, coverage of gender-affirming medical and surgical care expanded significantly across both public and private insurance systems.
The Trump administration has pursued efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming care since returning to office. A federal rule could be finalized as early as the current month that would prohibit Medicare and Medicaid from covering transgender-related medical services. Legal experts anticipate that additional lawsuits challenging these restrictions are likely to emerge. The litigation reflects broader tensions over insurance coverage and access to medical care for transgender individuals within the federal benefits system.
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