More US companies covering transgender surgery

SAN FRANCISCO, CA The trend follows a concerted push by transgender rights advocates to get employers and insurers to see sex reassignment the way the American Medical Association does -- as a medically indicated rather than an optional procedure.

The number is expected to go up dramatically this year, when the nation's largest gay rights lobbying group adds availability of surgery-inclusive medical benefits to the criteria in its annual corporate diversity report card.

Kraft Foods, AT&T, Yahoo!, Eastman Kodak, Sears and State Farm are among 85 large businesses and law firms that cover the cost of at least one surgery.