LGBT veteran care from the VA web site

[KymmieL]

The VA is working on offering transitional surgeries to transgender veterans.  It takes time to map out all the policies, then look over the policies to see how some may get around them. Then reword the policies. It is a long process. My GYN is the VA director for reproductive health for the whole VA. She is on the board working on the surgeries.

 

Again let me be blunt. Do not fear being yourself at any VA facility. No matter what state you live in. The VA is on government property so state laws don't have jurisdiction at any VA facility. Period. If confronted about any gender problems. (Bathrooms, Etc.) contact the LGBT coordinator for that facility. 

 

At a VA facility a transgender vet may use any restroom that they identify as. It is VA policy, period. Let know one tell you other wise. feel free to contact your local VA LGBT coordinator to verify this. All Veterans have rights including transgender ones.

 

Kymmie

[Ivy]

10 hours ago, KymmieL said:

Do not fear being yourself at any VA facility. No matter what state you live in.

This.

[Davie]

10 hours ago, KymmieL said:

Do not fear being yourself at any VA facility. No matter what state you live in. The VA is on government property so state laws don't have jurisdiction at any VA facility. Period. If confronted about any gender problems. (Bathrooms, Etc.) contact the LGBT coordinator for that facility. 

Good information.

[KymmieL]

Just taken from the VA web site.

 

VA Begins Action to Allow for Gender-Affirming Surgeries in VA Health Care Coverage

https://www.patientcare.va.gov/LGBT/images/2021/genderaffirming.jpgVA currently provides all medically necessary gender-affirming care to transgender Veterans with the exception of gender-affirming surgical interventions, due to an exclusion in the VA medical benefits package. The LGBTQ+ Health Program is pleased to share that in the summer 2021, VA will be initiating the rulemaking process to modify the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to expand VA’s care to transgender Veterans to include gender-affirming surgery.

1.  VA currently provides all medically necessary gender-affirming care to transgender Veterans with the exception of gender-affirming surgical interventions, due to an exclusion in the VA medical benefits package.

2.  Gender-affirming procedures have been proven effective at mitigating serious health conditions, including suicidality, substance abuse, and dysphoria.

3.  Removing this exclusion would allow VA to provide transgender and gender diverse Veterans with coordinated, medically necessary, transition-related surgical procedures. In addition, revising the medical benefits package would enable a safe, coordinated continuum of care that is Veteran-centric and consistent with VA’s values of equity and respect for all Veterans.

4.  The entire rulemaking process can take approximately two years and includes a period of public comment. This will allow VA to develop the framework to provide the full continuum of care in a way that is consistent with VA’s rigorous standards for quality health care.

5.  During the rulemaking process, VA will continue to provide or pay for the services it currently offers, including corrective procedures after gender affirming surgeries a Veteran obtains outside VA, hormone therapy, and other gender affirming care.

[Ivy]

If this actually goes through, I might be interested in zero depth surgery.

But I'm pretty skeptical that it will.  If the GOP takes power it certainly won't - and we'll most likely lose the benefits we have now.

[Ashley0616]

Well heck if it does go through I won't have to pay for Medicare and supplemental insurance to do it!