FRANKLIN CO., Ohio (WCMH)-Another local county government is offering healthcare benefits for transgender employees who elect to have gender reassignment surgery or other related procedures.
Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown says offering transgender healthcare benefits are not only the right thing to do, but are also great recruitment tool.
Lana Moore says she wishes she had those healthcare benefits when she was a captain for the Columbus Division of Fire. Moore was the first Columbus city firefighter to come out as openly transgender and make the transition on the job.
“Well, I think it is the right thing to do. Transgender people are human beings. They deserve the same medical rights to insurance benefits that anyone else would have,” says Moore.
Moore says she was a part of the Columbus Fire family for 35 years and retired before the city offered the same benefits in 2014.
“Some business and organizations are doing this because they know, like we know, it is a way to attract the best employees and retain them,” says Brown. She says it is cost effective too.
“It doesn’t add anything to the bottom line for us and it is a good thing to do,” she adds.
Benefits for county employees are offered through United Healthcare. Brown says employees pay only 12 percent of their benefit costs.
The American Medical Association says the surgery is necessary and not just cosmetic.
“For me, I was finally able to be in the game of life as my authentic self,” Mooresays.
Brown says the transgender surgery benefits kicked in on April 1 of this year.
