We’re expanding medical coverage for U-M employees who are transgender

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will soon begin covering additional medical services for University of Michigan employees who are transgender.

The following additional gender-affirming services for members transitioning from male to female will be covered starting July 1, 2019:

• Face and neck hair removal
• Facial feminization surgery
• Chondrolaryngoplasty (Adam’s apple reduction)

Currently, Blue Cross and BCN cover genital surgery, mastectomy in female-to-male transition, hormone therapy and counseling when medically necessary to treat gender dysphoria for U-M employees. Gender dysphoria involves a conflict between a person's gender identity and their gender assigned at birth, causing significant distress.

Coverage for the new services will require that members meet medical necessity criteria, use network providers and have up to a $30,000 lifetime limit. Michigan Medicine, formerly the University of Michigan Health System, is the only provider in our network that currently performs the facial feminization surgical services.

You can request authorizations for members who have a Blue Cross plan starting June 15, 2019. For members with a BCN plan, authorizations can be requested starting June 12.

The group number for Blue Cross members is 007005187, while the group number for BCN members is 00124316. The number will be on the front of their member ID card. As always, be sure to check web-DENIS for benefits and eligibility.

For more information
For more details, see the University of Michigan fact sheet on health plan coverage for gender-affirming services.

Transgender members may also use new coverage for fertility preservation if medical or surgical interventions related to their transition could result in infertility. For more details, see the University of Michigan fact sheet on coverage for services related to infertility.