No, being transgender is no longer a preexisting condition. Insurers cannot refuse to sell you a plan or charge you more based on your gender identity or medical history. This is true even if you have been refused coverage in the past. To help you understand your options, we’ve created state-specific Transgender Health Insurance Guides and encourage you to make an appointment with an LGBTQ-affirming enrollment assister who can help you enroll for free.

If your gender-affirming care is denied, learn how to appeal a decision with your health insurer here. If you face discrimination by an insurer or health provider, contact a legal organization here.

If you want more information on what your insurance company might cover, check out these medical policies from Advocates4TransEquality – but make sure you look at your own policy too since that’s what will really determine what services are covered.

The coverage of gender-affirming care continues to vary by insurer and state. However, you have the right to expect that your plan will cover the services you need as long as those services are covered for other people on your plan. These services may include preventive screenings such as mammograms, Pap tests, and prostate exams; hormone therapy; mental health services; and surgical procedures related to gender-affirming care.

However, some plans may still have transgender exclusions. These exclusions are discriminatory and deny coverage to transgender people for medically necessary healthcare. These exclusions were prohibited in most types of health insurance beginning in 2017, but be aware that some exclusions may still persist in many plans.

To help you understand your options, we release state-specific Transgender Health Insurance Guides every year and encourage you to make an appointment with an LGBTQ-affirming enrollment assister who can provide free assistance in the enrollment process. For more information, visit this resource at healthcare.gov.

If you want more information on what your insurance company might cover, check out these medical policies from Advocates4TransEquality – but make sure you look at your own policy too, since that’s what will really determine what services are covered.

If your gender-affirming care is denied, learn how to appeal with your health insurer here. If you face discrimination by an insurer or health provider, contact a legal organization here.

It depends on your plan. Unfortunately, plans in many states still include discriminatory exclusions to deny coverage to transgender people for medically necessary healthcare. These exclusions often mean that insurers will deny coverage for gender confirmation surgery. These exclusions were prohibited in most types of health insurance beginning in 2017, but be aware that these exclusions do still persist in many plans.

Moreover, if you are under the age of 18, it can also depend on laws in your state regarding gender-affirming care for minors.

To help you understand your options, we’ve created state-specific Transgender Health Insurance Guides and encourage you to make an appointment with an LGBTQ-affirming enrollment assister who can help you enroll for free.

If your gender-affirming care is denied, learn how to appeal with your health insurer here. If you face discrimination by an insurer or health provider, contact a legal organization here.

If you want more information on what your insurance company might cover, check out these medical policies from Advocates4TransEquality – but make sure you look at your own policy too since that’s what will really determine what services are covered.

Yes, hormone replacement therapy should be covered by marketplace plans.* You have the right to expect that your plan will cover the services that you need – including hormone therapy – as long as those services are covered for other people on your plan. This is true even if your plan has an exclusion for gender-affirming care. If you are denied coverage for gender-affirming care or discriminated against at any point in this process, contact a legal organization here.

*If you are under the age of 18, it depends on the laws in your state.

Yes, it should be. According to the Affordable Care Act, plans must cover preventive services regardless of your sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or the gender on your insurance card. Covered services should include services such as mammograms, Pap tests, and prostate exams. (If you've got it, you've got to get it checked!) This is true even if your plan has an exclusion for gender-affirming care.

If you are denied coverage for preventive care or gender-affirming care or discriminated against at any point in this process, contact a legal organization here.

You have rights. The coverage of gender-affirming care continues to vary by insurer and state. But you have the right to expect that your plan will cover the services you need as long as those services are covered for other people on your plan. These services may include preventive screenings such as mammograms, Pap tests, and prostate exams; hormone therapy; mental health services; and surgical procedures related to gender-affirming care.

To help you understand your options, we release state-specific Transgender Health Insurance Guides every year and encourage you to make an appointment with an LGBTQ-affirming enrollment assister who can provide free assistance in the enrollment process. If your gender-affirming care is denied, learn how to appeal with your health insurer here. If you face discrimination by an insurer or health provider, contact a legal organization here.

If you want more information on what your insurance company might cover, check out these medical policies from Advocates4TransEquality – but make sure you look at your own policy too since that’s what will really determine what services are covered.

We recommend that you answer this question according to the information you believe is on file with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help avoid confusion during the enrollment process. For more information, see this resource at HealthCare.gov.

However, we recognize that many transgender people prefer to answer this question according to the gender they identify with, even if it’s different from what’s in the SSA record. You can do this, but be aware that this may cause confusion if your application is checked against SSA records or if you seek coverage for “sex-specific” care (such as a hysterectomy or prostate exam). It can also complicate your application for financial assistance through the Advanced Premium Tax Credit.

Instead, we recommend you file the marketplace application with information matching what the Social Security Administration has. Then, after the application has been approved and your financial assistance is established, you can go back into your account on HealthCare.gov (or your state-based marketplace) and update your gender marker at that time.

If you face discrimination at any point during the enrollment process, contact a legal organization here and please let us know at info@out2enroll.org.

Every plan sold in the Marketplace must provide a link to its directory of health providers. If you already have a provider for your gender-affirming care that you know and trust, you can use your insurer's directory to find out if your provider is included before you sign up for coverage.

To find a provider of gender-affirming care, check out the LGBTQ Healthcare Directory where providers who sign up affirm their commitment to equality for LGBTQ+ patients. You can search for a provider located near you who specializes in gender-affirming hormones, counseling, surgeries, procedures, and more.

Blanket exclusions of gender-affirming care have been prohibited in most types of health insurance in ALL states since 2017. Furthermore, 24 states and the District of Columbia explicitly prohibit exclusions of gender-affirming care, including in plans available through the Marketplace.

Currently, 24 states have bans that restrict access to gender-affirming medications and surgical care for transgender youth. Additionally, 16 states + D.C. have state "shield" laws that protect access to care. You can refer to the Movement Advancement Project's website for more information on these laws.