Wisconsin Ordered to pay for two Transgender Surgeries

a Preliminary Injunction was Granted Wednesday

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A federal judge has ordered Wisconsin to pay for surgeries that two transgender Medicaid recipients need to treat their gender dysphoria.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Cody Flack and Sara Ann Makenzie filed a lawsuit in April, saying the state’s rule denying all coverage for such surgeries violates their civil rights.

U.S. District Judge William Conley granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday barring enforcement of the rule in question.

He also suggested the possibility of expanding the injunction to include any transgender Medicaid patient whose doctor recommends the surgery.

Rock Pledl, an attorney for the plaintiffs, says Flack could get his surgery in the coming weeks.

He says Makenzie can get surgery in a couple of months because of her status on the paperwork process with an HMO.