We take diagnoses so seriously, sometimes. What is a “gender dysphoria” diagnosis anyway?
When I worked in medical software, I learned that a diagnosis is just a selection from a list of standard values. The doctor or nurse practitioner selects the diagnosis for the patient from a searchable list. It shows up with a name and a code, numbers and letters.
This diagnosis code gets sent to the insurance company, if relevant. If it’s for a prescription, the diagnosis code gets sent to SureScripts, which processes nearly all electronic prescriptions in the US.
The computer systems that handle billing and e-prescribing are complex, but they follow a few simple rules when it comes to deciding if you are eligible for a medication.
First, for some medical care, the gender marker on your health insurance plan needs to be eligible. This gender marker may or may not match the gender on your legal ID or coordinate with the body parts you have.
