West Virginia judge finds transgender surgeries must be covered by Medicaid

West Virginia‘s Medicaid program is required to cover gender transition surgeries for transgender residents, a federal judge in Huntington ruled this week.

U.S. District Judge Chuck Chambers ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by LGBT interest group Lambda Legal, saying that a Medicaid exclusion for low-income residents with gender dysphoria would violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, the Affordable Care Act, and the Medicaid Act.