Kodak has updated its health plan coverage to include health benefits specific to transgender employees. Most U.S. benefit plans contain an exclusion for any health services related to transsexuality, but qualifying transgender employees at Kodak will be able to receive benefits including psychotherapy, hormone replacement therapy, and sex reassignment surgical procedures on or after July 1, 2006, provided it is part of a medically supervised treatment.
I previously blogged about health benefits for transgender employees. This issue is of increased relevance for all companies because the Human Rights Campaign, which issues the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a measure of corporate diversity, is reviewing health benefits for transgender employees beginning with the 2006 rankings. A company cannot get 100% on the CEI unless there is "parity in at least one transgender wellness benefit."
On another note, this blog has now had over 5,000 visitors since I started it 5 months ago. Thank you for making it successful.
