Media Contact
Joey Johnson
National President
American Medical Student Association
Email: [email protected]
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to categorically deny medically necessary surgical treatment to transgender veterans diagnosed with gender dysphoria, placing them at heightened risk of both physical and emotional harm.
STERLING, Virginia – June 29, 2017 – Today, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) joined seven other leading health professional organizations in filing an amicus brief in the federal appeals court, challenging the VA’s refusal to cover transition-related surgeries.
These organizations collectively represent millions of health care professionals across disciplines, including physicians, medical students, physician assistants, nurses, and public health professionals. They argue that excluding medically necessary transition-related surgeries from the VA’s medical benefits package directly undermines medical and mental health professionals’ ability to provide appropriate care for veterans with gender dysphoria.
This blanket ban lacks scientific basis and is contradicted by current medical evidence. Denying surgical care to transgender veterans who rely on the VA health system not only jeopardizes their well-being but also conflicts with the VA’s own acknowledgment of the critical role surgical treatment plays for many transgender individuals with gender dysphoria.
AMSA has long been a staunch advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, using its platform to amplify voices and fight against systemic discrimination. We recognize the persistent stigmas and double standards that continue to exist within the medical field and the compounded health disparities faced by these communities—especially those at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities.
AMSA firmly opposes any treatment policies that discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity or that create barriers to equitable, high-quality care. Transgender health care should be individualized, holistic, and comprehensive, including—when appropriate—surgical treatment. Transgender service members and veterans must be afforded the same rights, benefits, and health care access as their cisgender counterparts.
By: Daniel H. Gouger, M.D., AMSA Education & Advocacy Fellow
About the American Medical Student Association:
AMSA is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online.
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