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Transgender & Gender-Diverse Health Care Services

TRICARE covers hormone therapy and psychological counseling for gender dysphoria.

  • Gender dysphoria refers to psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity.
  • TRICARE generally doesn't cover surgery for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
  • However, active duty service members may request a waiver through the Supplemental Health Care Program for medically-necessary, gender affirming surgery.

Are you a Veteran? Visit the Veteran Affairs LGBTQ+ Health Program page details about covered services through the VA.

Education References & Training Resources

VHA TRAIN offers several training opportunities for health care providers to learn more about transgender and gender-diverse care.

  • These education references and training resources are built on evidence-based practice guidelines and standards of care. 
  • These resources apply to all care received at military hospitals and clinics and from TRICARE-authorized providers, network or non-network.

Treatment Guidelines

Archived Documentation

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Policy
Jul 13, 2022

Instruction: #DODI 6025.19, Individual Medical Readiness Program

This issuance implements requirements in Sections 1074a, 10149, and 10206 of Title 10, United States Code; establishes policy, assigns responsibility, and provides procedures for individual medical readiness; establishes a total force medical readiness goal of 90 percent or higher for each Military Service and DOD Component and establishes a partially ...

  • Identification #: DODI 6025.19
  • Type: Instruction
Policy
Jul 29, 2016

Memorandum: HA Memo: Guidance for the Treatment of Gender Dysphoria for Active and Reserve Component Service Members

.PDF | 1.80 MB

In accordance with Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1300.28, "In-Service Transition for Transgender Service Members" June 30, 2016, and Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 16-005, "Military Service of Transgender Service Members," June 30, 2016, this memorandum provides guidance for the medical care of transgender Service members. This memorandum ...

  • Identification #: N/A
  • Type: Memorandum
Policy
Apr 1, 2015

TRICARE Policy Manual: #TPM Ch. 7, Sect. 1.2, TRICARE Policy Manual, Chapter 1, Section 1.2, "Gender Dysphoria"

Gender dysphoria is a condition where a person experiences clinically significant distress, or impairment in social, occupational, or other important area of functioning, of at least six months duration, because of a marked incongruence between the gender assigned, usually at birth (i.e., natal sex) and their experienced/expressed gender identity.

  • Identification #: TPM Ch. 7, Sect. 1.2
  • Type: TRICARE Policy Manual
Policy
Feb 21, 2012

Memorandum: #12-002, HA Memo 12-002: Use of Supplemental Health Care Program Funds for Non-Covered TRICARE Health Care Services and the Waiver Process for Active Duty Service Members

.PDF | 1.37 MB

Use of Supplemental Health Care Program Funds for Non-Covered TRICARE Health Care Services and the Waiver Process for Active Duty Service Members

  • Identification #: 12-002
  • Type: Memorandum
Policy
Feb 5, 2010

Instruction: #DOD Instruction 6490.07, DOD Instruction 6490.07: Deployment-Limiting Medical Conditions for Service Members and DOD Civilian Employees

This instruction establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for ensuring that Service members and DoD civilian employees, including Coast Guard Service members and civilian employees at all times, including when the Coast Guard is a Service in the Department of Homeland Security by agreement with that Department, deployed ...

  • Identification #: DOD Instruction 6490.07
  • Type: Instruction
Policy
Oct 25, 2005

Memorandum: #HA 05-020, HA Memo 05-020: Policy for Cosmetic Surgery Procedures in the Military Health System

.PDF | 195.03 KB

The Cosmetic Surgery Policy implemented in the Military Health System (MHS) in 1992 permitted limited numbers of cosmetic surgery cases, while emphasizing that cosmetic surgery was not a covered benefit under TRICARE. The policy outlined cosmetic surgery procedures permitted in support of graduate medical education training, board eligibility and ...

  • Identification #: HA 05-020
  • Type: Memorandum
Last Updated: October 02, 2023
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