VA to offer gender confirmation surgery to vets

(KYMA, KECY) - The Department of Veterans Affairs will now offer transgender veterans gender confirmation surgery.

The Secretary of the VA, Denis McDonough, announced at a Pride Month event in Orlando last Saturday. McDonough says the decision was "the right thing to do." He adds this is the first step in a yearslong federal rulemaking process to expand the VA health benefits to cover the surgery.

McDonough says the decision will help veterans with mental illness and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ veterans and help them fear discrimination that prevents future veterans from seeking care.

"We're making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives," he said.

According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, there are more than 134,000 transgender veterans and more than 15,000 transgender individuals who serve in the military.