Earlier this week the Connecticut Department of Social Services updated state regulations to require Medicaid to cover treatment for Gender Dysphoria.

Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi, who led GLAD’s work with state allies to advocate for the new regulations, applauded the update:

“This change affirms the overwhelming medical consensus that gender reassignment surgery and other related procedures are essential health care services, and will ensure more transgender people in Connecticut will have access to necessary care.”

Connecticut joins Massachusetts, California, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington D.C. in removing barriers to Medicaid coverage for treatment related to Gender Dysphoria. Last year, the federal Medicare program also removed a categorical exclusion of gender reassignment surgery from its coverage, following advocacy by GLAD, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Read more about GLAD’s work on health care access.