Additional Option for Sex/Gender Added

To provide empathetic solutions and proactive support to all members, Anthem Blue Cross will add a non-binary birth-sex selection to their membership and enrollment process. Starting September 1, 2021, employers and brokers can enter U in the birth sex field via Electronic Enrollment Transmission (EET).  Paper applications are not being changed at this time.

The new choice of U does not denote the member’s gender identity preference, only that it is unknown/unspecified to Anthem. They will contact clients about paper applications that do not have a birth sex value. If the employer confirms the employee chose not to provide a sex value, they will enter U for the application.

When you look at employee data, new employees who select U will display a member code equivalent to the code previously assigned to members with a male (M) birth sex value. Member codes for employees who change from M or F (female) to U will not change.

Acknowledging an employee’s gender identity preference is important to overall health and well-being, especially  emotional and mental health. Having options that help separate the concept of birth sex from gender identity preference allows Anthem to enroll and enhance the employee’s healthcare journey even if they don’t want to provide or specify a birth sex value.