Credit: Jo Panuwat D/Adobe Stock

In a decision that could have far-reaching implications, a federal judge on Monday ruled that state health-care plans and government-funded insurance programs cannot exclude coverage for gender-affirming medical care.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed two lower-court rulings ordering North Carolina and West Virginia to end policies that exclude coverage for gender-affirming care. North Carolina's state health plan does not cover treatment "in connection with sex changes or modifications and related care," and West Virginia's Medicaid program covers only some gender-affirming treatments.

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