Post by Ayla on Feb 1, 2016 10:19:27 GMT 8
A northwestern Minnesota woman is suing her employer, Essentia Health, and her medical insurance provider, HealthPartners, alleging that her 17-year-old was denied coverage for medication and surgery to help him transition from a female to a male.
The suit filed in federal court in St. Paul by Brittany Tovar, who works as a family nurse practitioner for Essentia's hospital in Ada, said her teen was found in November 2014 to have gender dysphoria, meaning his gender identity was different from what was assigned at birth.
"I was really disappointed with my employer," Tovar said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "It's hard coming to work, and my employer considers my son a second-class citizen."
Part of her child's transition, Tovar said, included a name change three weeks ago: from Madison Olson to Reid Tovar Olson...
The claim against Essentia and HealthPartners alleges discrimination based on gender and is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. It also asks for Essentia to change its policies regarding coverage for sex-change services and surgery.
"It's not even about the money," Tovar said. "I'm trying to change [the coverage] and make access to health care for transgender [people] as it should be. To have a blanket exclusion for transgender is against the law. It's discriminatory."
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Wednesday that it found that Tovar had "reasonable cause" to pursue the legal action, said EEOC spokeswoman Julie Schmid. In May, Tovar pursued the discrimination claim through the federal agency.
Jennifer McLaughlin, spokeswoman for Fargo-based Essentia, declined to address the suit's contentions, explaining, "We do not comment on pending litigation, and we have not been served with this lawsuit."
Officials with HealthPartners were not immediately available Wednesday to respond to the suit.
www.startribune.com/mom-sues-after-minnesota-teen-denied-coverage-for-sex-change-surgery-drugs/366731821/
The suit filed in federal court in St. Paul by Brittany Tovar, who works as a family nurse practitioner for Essentia's hospital in Ada, said her teen was found in November 2014 to have gender dysphoria, meaning his gender identity was different from what was assigned at birth.
"I was really disappointed with my employer," Tovar said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "It's hard coming to work, and my employer considers my son a second-class citizen."
Part of her child's transition, Tovar said, included a name change three weeks ago: from Madison Olson to Reid Tovar Olson...
The claim against Essentia and HealthPartners alleges discrimination based on gender and is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. It also asks for Essentia to change its policies regarding coverage for sex-change services and surgery.
"It's not even about the money," Tovar said. "I'm trying to change [the coverage] and make access to health care for transgender [people] as it should be. To have a blanket exclusion for transgender is against the law. It's discriminatory."
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Wednesday that it found that Tovar had "reasonable cause" to pursue the legal action, said EEOC spokeswoman Julie Schmid. In May, Tovar pursued the discrimination claim through the federal agency.
Jennifer McLaughlin, spokeswoman for Fargo-based Essentia, declined to address the suit's contentions, explaining, "We do not comment on pending litigation, and we have not been served with this lawsuit."
Officials with HealthPartners were not immediately available Wednesday to respond to the suit.
www.startribune.com/mom-sues-after-minnesota-teen-denied-coverage-for-sex-change-surgery-drugs/366731821/