As an institution committed to seeing LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, and students thrive, Johns Hopkins University and Medicine today announced important expansions of their gender-affirming care benefits and support.
Beginning today, all Johns Hopkins health insurance plans will be updated and aligned enterprisewide to cover an expanded range of gender-affirming care for all users of these plans. All the plans—most of which previously offered coverage for gender-affirming surgeries in addition to hormone therapy—will extend coverage to include additional gender-affirming care procedures, namely voice therapy and facial reconstructive procedures. Hopkins will also close coverage gaps and align all enterprisewide plans to offer the same levels of coverage.
"Gender-affirming care is evidence-based medical best practice that, for transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse people, is essential health care that enhances quality of life and overall well-being," wrote Pierre Joanis, JHU's vice president for human resources; Kevin Shollenberger, JHU's vice provost for student health and well-being; and Inez Stewart, senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Johns Hopkins Medicine, in a message to the Johns Hopkins community.
"It is our obligation to ensure that our services and benefits to employees and students are reviewed regularly so that all members of our community are able to thrive personally and professionally here at Hopkins," said JHU President Ron Daniels. "Members of our community who are transgender and non-binary made it clear that these enhancements were important and meaningful to them, and we are pleased to now provide them as part of our standard benefits program and services."
Moving forward, Johns Hopkins University and Health System will continue to be guided by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health
