Gender Affirming Care Services
Columbia University provides enhanced gender-affirming benefits to you and your family through UnitedHealthcare (UHC). Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or are planning a procedure, this information may help you better understand how to maximize your benefits when getting care.
Services
Surgical-affirmation services are covered for employees and their eligible dependents who are enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare health plan and:
- Are at least 18 years old*
- Have persistent, well-documented gender dysphoria
- Have the ability to make a fully informed decision and consent to treatment
- Have favorable psychosocial-behavioral evaluation(s) from qualified mental health professionals (1 for top surgery; 2 for bottom surgery)
- Have lived in their identified gender for 12 months
- Have completed 12 months of continuous, gender-affirming hormone therapy appropriate for their gender identity (unless not medically able to do so)
* For dependents under age 18, treatment of children and adolescents includes therapy and other mental health-related services and puberty suppression-related prescription medications.
Full benefits plan details are available in the Summary Plan Description (SPD).
Covered services include:
- Behavioral health services
- Fertility services
- Hair-related services such as electrolysis and prescription medications
- Hormone therapy and side effects of hormone therapy
- Post-surgical follow-up
- Surgery
- Facial procedures
- Chest procedures
- Genital procedures
- Voice modification training and therapy
United Healthcare (UHC) Advocate team is committed to helping you find quality, gender-affirming care.
To reach a UHC Advocate call 1-800-232-9357. Advocates can help you:
- Get answers to your questions
- Find network providers, including behavioral health providers, with expertise in gender-affirming care
- Understand claims, referrals and the precertification process
- Get prescriptions
- Locate community resources
For additional information on gender-affirming benefits, please contact Kamila Pavezzi, Columbia University Well-being Specialist, by email [email protected].edu or phone 212-853-8102.