Province approves all 56 applications received for gender-confirming surgery

Since the province announced it would cover gender-confirming surgery more than a year ago, applications from 56 people have reached the government, and all 56 got the green light.

"There have been no applications denied for gender-confirming services that are insured under Medicare," Paul Bradley, a spokesperson for the Department of Health, wrote in an email.

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Since June of 2016, the government has covered the cost of medically necessary gender-confirming surgeries.

Whenthe coverage was made public, the health minister at the time said transgender people were facing challenges both in everyday life and within the health-care system because of who they were.

"Gender dysphoria is a recognized medical condition that, left untreated, can result in high levels of anxiety and depression, which can lead to suicidal thoughts," VictorBoudreausaid.

Before the announcement, transgenderpeople paid out of pocket for the costly operation.

Some expenses uninsured

Not all parts of transition procedures are covered, however.

For example, liposuction, a $3,000 procedure, to remove some of the extra fat left over on the breasts for men and laser-hair removal for transitioning women aren't covered because they're considered cosmetic.

But while some believe the current system could be improved, the 2016 announcement was well-received within gender minority circles.

According to the Department of Health, although it cannot provide details on specific cases for privacy reasons,requests forgender-confirming surgeries have predominantly been for female to male transitions.

Pre-screening outlined

And while the department declined an interview, it did outline the process a person undergoes before being approved for the newly covered service.

For patients to be eligible, they must undergo a pre-screening process with their family physician, a specialist, social worker or psychologist. Bradley wrote.

When someone is deemed a suitable candidate, the mental health expert will fill out the application and send it to a surgeon.

This surgeon has the final word on whether someone will undergo surgery.

"As far as what requirements must be met during the pre-screening, those questions would be better answered by health-care professionals assessing the patients," Bradley said.

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If approval is given, this surgeon sends the prior approval request to Medicare, along with the filled-out and signed application form.

"Services covered under Medicare will be approved if the request form is complete and the patient meets the criteria," Bradley said. "If additional work is required, the Department of Health will determine whether it is insured or not."

When gender-confirming surgeries were first insured in New Brunswick, requests flooded in initially because of the number of people who had been waiting for access to the service, he said.

"The number of requests received by the Department of Health has slowed somewhat over time."