odsp drug coverage / transgender medication not covered

hi...

i'm contacting you about the issue of hormones being covered under the odsp drug benefits. whether i agree with the reasons or not (cosmetic, not medical), i understand why that this has not traditionally been covered. and i understand that it's something that is probably still a little touchy in certain circles. however, i think the current liberal majority is the type of government that is likely to throw off certain stigmas attached to the issue, that it will probably even generate broad public support, and it's something progressive forces should consequently be taking the opportunity to move a little on. you are my mp, so i'm approaching you as a first point of contact.

i've been taking hormones for years, and have been able to cover the cost for one of three drugs while the province covers the cost of the other two. i've interpreted this as "it could be worse", but the price just went up a lot and it's provided me with an incentive to try and get it covered. i understand that there's a procedure to go through to ask for an exception, but i think it really just ought to be changed altogether.

the three drugs are a progesterone, an estrogen and a testosterone blocker. the province covers the testosterone blocker because it's used to treat men that have difficulties with sexual impulses - rapists and child molesters. it covers the progesterone because it can be used as a menopause treatment. further, it will cover some types of estrogen that are used in birth control, but the doses are far too low to be useful to me.

should i really have to rely on a legal loophole for sex offenders when i have a diagnosed medical condition, and the prescription i need is approved for other uses? this condition is deeply intertwined with mental health issues. it's generally consistent in the canadian legal framework to ensure access to this kind of thing, when it intersects with issues of well being. i know i'm on the right side with this.

again: i understand why this would have been difficult twenty years ago. but, i think the society has matured enough around this issue that this medication should be interpreted by odsp as medically necessary, and consequently covered under the circumstances of my diagnosis - rather than the loophole i'm currently forced to accept. and, i think the current government provides an opportunity to move on this.

jessica

record #6

hello...

as i mentioned before, if you've given me your address, which i never asked for, you must be pleading with me to send you updates. i must respectfully oblige.

my sixth lp released the other day. this is a major release of 2002 material, and the portal out of my second period.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj-2

i also completed a double ep single last week which is of special interest in terms of it's complexity. you don't hear the phrase "guitar concerto remix" very often.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/untitled

two large compilation records will also release in the next 10-14 days.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/thru
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/ambient-works

the next major release will be the seventh record, which is already completed and should be sequenced and released by june.

j

record #6

i was hoping to have this done by the beginning of the year, but i got very caught up in one of the tracks, which took me nearly five months to work through.

this is the 6th record:
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj-2

this disc takes me up to the end of 2002. it requires headphones, preferably not cheap ones. these are thick mixes. it's number 44. it's built on a succession of singles: 29, 35, 36, 37, 42 and 43.

the 42 single is the one that took me five months, and takes that particular track in every direction possible, including the form of a guitar concerto.
https://jasonparent.bandcamp.com/album/untitled

also in this space exists the grand total of rabit is wolf material, which left two lps (34, 38), an acoustic demo (40) and five singles (30, 35, 36, 37, 43). the sixth lp is largely a reclamation of rabit material as instrumental music.

the other thing that exists in this space is the first few noise lps, which will form the basis of my seventh record, which should be done by the beginning of the summer at the absolute latest. two of these are short eps of harsh noise (32, 41) while the other is a systemic workthrough of what i call my fourth symphony (39).

45, 46 and 49 lean forward into the next period. 47 & 48 are electronic music focused compilations of the first 45 records, based on the ideas of midi music and ambient music, respectively. they will appear within the next week.

as before, the bandcamp site is the preferable site for all purposes. however, here is a back door to the mp3 archive. again: please do not share this link.

(link removed)

j