Starbucks to cover surgeries for transgender employees in healthcare plan

Vice President of benefits of Starbucks, Ron Crawford said: "Nobody else is doing this. We would love to see more employers doing this."

Starbucks have said they want employees to be "truly who they are"

Pexel/Pixabay

Olivia Tobin28 June 2018

Starbucks has announced it are going to start covering gender reassignment surgeries for transgender employees in a new healthcare plan.

It is thought the move by the coffee chain will make it the first corporation in the world to offer such medical costs.

The store announced on Thursday that it has been working with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health to come up with a new health insurance plan for its employees.

Vice President of benefits at Starbucks , Ron Crawford, said that the decision was driven “by the company’s desire to provide truly inclusive coverage, and by powerful conversations with transgender [employees] about how those benefits would allow them to truly be who they are.”

He added: “Nobody else is doing this. We would love to see more employers doing this.”

The chain has always offered employees insurance that covers procedures, since about 2012, but the newly drafted plan will cover procedures for American transgender employees that were previously thought to be “cosmetic”.

Employees seeking such procedures will now be able to claim for breast augmentation or reduction surgery, facial feminisation and hair transplants.

Trained advocates are also going to be brought in to help support and guide those who are transitioning, the company say.