April 03, 2019 - 10:02 PM
BILLINGS, Mont. - A Montana county may have discriminated against one of its own attorneys by denying the transgender woman access to health care.
The Billings Gazette reported Wednesday that the Montana Human Rights Bureau ruled that Yellowstone County unlawfully denied "gender-affirming health care" to Eleanor Andersen Maloney in 2018.
The newspaper reports Maloney was a county prosecutor when she was denied a health insurance request for possible elective surgery, although she was still on a waiting list at the time.
The newspaper reports the county also sought the return of payments for Maloney's therapist.
Yellowstone County has 30 days to respond. The case will move to a formal hearing if an agreement is not reached.
Calls by the newspaper to the county seeking comment Wednesday were not returned.
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Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com
News from © The Associated Press, 2019