As of July 1, Nevada state employees and their dependent family members will have health coverage for transgender procedures thanks to a new insurance policy.

Back in November, the Public Employee Benefits Program (PEBP) board voted for the removal of language in Nevada’s self-funded and HMO plans that excluded therapy for gender dysphoria – meaning that up until this July gender reassignment surgery and other treatments related to sex changes were not covered.

“We commend the Nevada state PEBP board for making this significant step to ensure that transgender employees have access to lifesaving care,” Brock Maylath, president of the Transgender Allies Group, said in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Medical treatment should be determined by conversations between a patient and a doctor, rather than on arbitrary exclusions created by an insurance company.”

The Review-Journal also quotes Donna Lopez, quality control officer for PEBP, as saying that a report found that providing the additional coverage would “have little to no impact on the system’s overall financial health or claims obligations.”

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The new modifications mean the PEBP will provide coverage for medical, surgical or prescription drug treatment expenses related to sex change procedures. This also includes coverage for preparation or complications connected to the procedures. The program will not cover any procedures considered cosmetic, like hair removal.

There is no maximum benefit limit, although gender reassignment is limited to one surgery per individual. The regular plan deductibles and co-insurance will still be in effect.

Minutes from the board’s November meeting show that only one member, Rosalie Garcia, voted against the recommendations. According to Lopez, there wasn’t any public opposition.

She adds, “Under the policy, sex change patients would be required to undergo a pre-certification and case management review to assure that any questions a patient might have about the procedures or providers are answered.”

In 2014 the program paid out about $100 million in claims. It’s responsible for covering more than 40,000 participants and 29,000 family members and survivors. One of the HMOs participating is Health Plan of Nevada in the Las Vegas area.