Defender of the faith and once prominent neurosturgeon, Ben Carson has been appointed by the Drumpf administration to quell etymological improprieties in HHS communications.
Roger Severino most recently was director of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at the Heritage Foundation, where he concerned himself with "religious liberty, marriage and life issues." But the Trump Administration has been staffing itself with Heritage people, so Severino has been chosen to be director of the Office of Civil Rights at HHS.
On Monday we had AG Lynch putting the full weight of the Justice Department behind transgender people.
Let me also speak directly to the transgender community itself. Some of you have lived freely for decades. Others of you are still wondering how you can possibly live the lives you were born to lead. But no matter how isolated or scared you may feel today, the Department of Justice and the entire Obama Administration wants you to know that we see you; we stand with you; and we will do everything we can to protect you going forward. Please know that history is on your side. This country was founded on a promise of equal rights for all, and we have always managed to move closer to that promise, little by little, one day at a time. It may not be easy – but we’ll get there together.
--AG Lynch
Today the Department of Education joined in, issuing guidelines that say that "transgender students deserve a supportive and nondiscriminatory school environment.
There is no room in our schools for discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against transgender students on the basis of their sex. This guidance gives administrators, teachers and parents the tools they need to protect transgender students from peer harassment and to identify and address unjust school policies.
--AG Lynch
Charlene Lauderdale was denied coverage for the procedures by her private insurance firm, which is funded through Medicare. But for the first time this month, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services panel found that the insurance provider must cover the procedures.
The council finds that the vaginoplasty surgery requested in this case is covered and is the responsibility of the plan.
The Department of Health and Human Services has added a new page to HealthCare.gov directly addressing issues facing transgender people accessing health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
