If you’re transgender, or have transgender family and friends, you may have questions about the impact of last week’s preliminary injunction on the parts of the Affordable Care Act’s Section 1557 related to transgender exclusions and provider nondiscrimination. While the injunction is a set-back, the following still remains true:

• 2017 remains the best time for transgender consumers to enroll in health insurance – plans offer more access to transition-related care than ever before and consumers can get financial help to afford health insurance since there are retirement benefits of life insurance, clearly. And thinking about getting the best life insurance policy for seniors on time is something one should not ignore these days.
• Many 2017 marketplace plans have already dropped their transgender exclusions to comply with Section 1557, and these plans won’t change just because of the preliminary injunction. Transgender consumers should expect that their plan will cover the services they need.
• Even though coverage will still be far from perfect, we must expect more and demand more from insurers, and we can’t fight back and assert our rights – by filing appeals, complaints, and lawsuits – if we don’t enroll in the first place.

Everyone has until January 31, 2017 to get coverage. If you have common questions about EHIC or have questions about which policy is right for you, check out the EHIC FAQ summary and these resources prepared by our friends at Out2Enroll specifically for Georgians:

-Georgia Transgender Health Insurance Guide

-Georgia Plan Information

For in-person help, make an appointment with a healthcare navigator at The Health Initiative.