Metro Board votes down gender reassignment coverage for employees

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Metro Nashville’s employee benefits committee voted down a motion that would require the city to add gender reassignment procedures to employees’ medical coverage.

The motion sought to redefine gender-related procedures as medically necessary for good health, thus making them eligible for coverage under current self-funded medical benefits. It would have only covered employees and their beneficiaries over the age of 18.

After numerous public comments and a lengthy discussion from members of the board, the motion failed after a vote of 5-3.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper weighed in on the vote with the following statement: “We’re incredibly proud of the Metro employees who stood up and advocated for their own health care today. Working closely with the LGBTQ caucus, our Administration pushed hard to enact this live-saving change to our health care coverage. I appreciate our HR Director, Finance Director, and the board members that I appointed for supporting this change. Unfortunately, the remainder of the board voted against these voices. As a result, our trans employees will have to wait at least another year for their rights to be affirmed by their peers on the Benefits

Tennessee Equality Project Education Director Jace Wilder said the board’s decision was disappointing.

“It is devastating to see that our own Metro Nashville has yet again turned down ensuring that our Metro employees have the ability to afford their necessary care,” Wilder said in a statement. “These folks are a minority of our employee workforce but a minority that keeps your lights on, water running, streets safe, and saves your lives. These folks are not political pawns, they are Nashville and they deserve to have their medical care respected.”

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