In addition to the emotional, psychological, physical and social hardships that trans people may experience during their transition, they often have to bear enormous costs along their journey.
And these expenses, which are not all covered by the health insurance plan, can amount to several thousand dollars. The financial burden can quickly increase between psychological follow-ups, surgical procedures, and new clothes to buy.
This is why Sun Life has developed a new service to support people starting or continuing a gender reassignment process. Marie-Chantal Côté, Vice-President, Group Benefits Market Development at Sun Life, explains what this new service is all about, helping to reduce the cost of a transition.
A winding path
To better understand the financial reality of trans people, we spoke with Jenni Lang, a trans woman who is very involved in raising awareness and educating her community.
Jenni talks to us about the difficulties that trans people can encounter during their process. She says she was afraid of rejection from those close to her and says she still experiences bullying, especially on social media, even though things have changed, she says. “There was a lot of prejudice, both in my community and in society in general. Fortunately, today is very different. »
Added to this are the financial complications that can arise. “There are all the treatments, but there’s also the wardrobe that you have to redo from A to Z. On top of that, there are the shoes, the hair, the nails… It’s expensive, being a woman! “she says with a note of humour.
A push needed
In 2019, Sun Life launched new coverage dedicated to supporting people through a gender transition. This is a first in Canada!
As of April 8, 2019, Sun Life Clients’ employers can obtain coverage for their trans employees. Marie-Chantal Côté explains that Sun Life has “identified a need in people whose sex assigned at birth does not correspond to the gender felt”. Sun Life has therefore decided to support these people through gender affirmation coverage as part of its Medical Expenses benefit.
Sun Life coverage works in conjunction with local coverage. It reimburses specific procedures that are not covered by the province’s health insurance plan where the person whose employer offers this coverage resides.
“It varies by province and by person depending on the needs,” reports Marie-Chantal Côté. The idea is to offer complementary coverage that supports trans people in their approach.
The cover in detail
Sun Life offers two types of coverage for Clients who want to help their gender-transitioning employees. Basic coverage applies only to basic surgical procedures not covered by the provincial health insurance plan. This can be, for example, Adam’s apple reduction or voice surgery.
On the other hand, extended coverage allows for surgical operations that aim to align physical characteristics with felt gender. For example, reducing facial bone structure or cheek augmentation would be supported by this additional coverage. Employers can choose between these two options, depending on what suits their employees best. This measure thus gives the possibility to client companies to support the choices of their employees for a more serene life.
Ms Côté confirms this: “One of our reasons for being is to help Canadians lead a healthy lifestyle.”
Do you know anyone who could benefit from this new program? To learn more about Sun Life coverage for trans people, click here.
