Need $75,000 for a Sex-Change Operation? Enroll at UC Berkeley

Under the student health care plan at the University of California (UC) – Berkeley, students can receive coverage of up to $75,000 for sex-change operations and other related therapy, documents obtained on Monday by Campus Reform reportedly indicate.

According to the "2012-13 UC Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan Benefits Booklet,"the publicly funded university will provide up to 90 percent of the controversial procedure, which comes out to about $75,000.

Also covered under UC Berkeley's health care plan are students who would like to have "hormone therapy" and "gender confirmation (reassignment) surgery." Better yet, the university will also pay for some "certain travel costs" associated with a sex-change operation because there are only a "limited number of providers" near the school.

The Leadership Institute's Campus Reform has more details:

The costs for a sex change operation alone, without additional travel costs, can exceed $50,000. Many private health care providers do not pay for these operations due to their cost and questionable health benefits.

The documents also reveal that the university health plan will cover up to 90-percent of costs [for] abortions.

Despite multiple inquiries the UC’s administration did not reveal the number of sex-change operations or abortions provided under the plan or when the plan was amended to include these controversial operations.

When students are accepted into the university, they are automatically enrolled in its student health care plan and must apply for a "waiver" to be exempt from buying into it.

UC Berkeley's website describes its student health care plan as "a comprehensive major medical insurance plan, providing medical, counseling, prescription, vision and dental services."

Funny, it doesn't mention sex-change operations.