N.S. expands criteria for breast reduction surgeries covered by MSI

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia has added another diagnosis to the list of approved criteria for gender affirming surgeries covered by the provincial health insurance program.

According to a notice to physicians from MSI, people who are diagnosed with persistent and well-documented gender dysphoria and are approved for a breast reduction surgery will have it covered by MSI. The Department of Health and Wellness added the diagnosis as of Nov. 2.

Gender dysphoria is the feeling of discomfort or distress that could be experienced by people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics. MSI already covers breast augmentation surgery for transgender women and chest masculinization or mastectomy surgery for transgender men.

Dalhousie Legal Aid Services said in a news release that the new coverage provides an option for nonbinary people who wish to access breast reduction procedures.

They added that the change comes after Sebastian Gaskarth, a non-binary person, made a complaint to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

“The new coverage directly acknowledges that gender does not exist as a binary” said Gaskarth in the release.

“Navigating a human rights complaint is a significant undertaking. In the future, we hope that the government will be more proactive in expanding access to gender affirming surgeries and reduce the need for complaints to drive forward the expansion of coverage.”

Last year, another human rights complaint prompted the province to start covering breast augmentation for transgender women. Serina Slaunwhite, a transgender woman, had filed the complaint against Nova Scotia's Health Department after she was denied breast implants in 2017.