The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has overturned Medicare’s blanket ban on sex reassignment surgery. An independent panel within HHS ruled the ban is unreasonable and violates scientific and medical standards. The ruling means transgender patients will be able to seek coverage for gender transition-related surgical procedures. In a statement, the National Center for Transgender Equality called the decision a major step forward, saying: “Science and fairness are winning over outdated biases.”