Maryland House passes bill requiring gender confirmation sponsorship under Medicaid
Maryland’s House of Delegates on Saturday passed a bill that would expand the state’s Medicare program to include gender confirmation procedures for transgender, intersex, non-binary, intersex, and all other gender diverse people.
Trans Health Equity ActHB0283, will play an important role in ensuring that low-income and transgender Maryland residents on Medicaid have access to hormonal therapy, puberty blockers, hair changes, surgeries on the face and other parts of the body along with many other gender confirmation procedures which are often covered by private insurance.
According to data from The Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles24,000 Marylanders are transgender, and 6,000 are enrolled in Medicaid. In 2022, 98 transgender Marylanders will have a Gender confirmation care through Medicaid.
But Medicaid for the state right now Covers only some gender confirmation procedures, including mental health services, hormone replacement therapy, and sex reassignment surgery for patients 18 years of age and older who meet specific qualifications. Meanwhile, gender confirmation care is usually covered by private insurance.
legislation, a copy identical to the one that failed last year, passed into the house The final vote is 93-37. During committee meetings, several Democrats have spoken of their support for the legislation, including Representative Ann Kaiser, who sponsored the bill.
“We have no representation in this house by anyone in the transgender community. So myself and 59 of our co-sponsors are your voice. We are your representative,” Kaiser said. He said.
She continued, “We realize that what’s being said nationally…about trans people are the same lies that were told about gays and lesbians 20 years ago, and that’s part of the reason I feel so emotional and connected to our trans brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and our community.”
House Republicans proposed an amendment to the bill on Friday that would bar eligible individuals under 18 from receiving gender confirmation care — a move Reflects nationwide attacks On this lifesaving health care for transgender youth.
“This is not about health,” said Delegate Mark Fisher, the Republican who proposed the amendment, according to Baltimore Bannerand shares his concerns about the ability of minors to undergo surgeries such as vaginectomy, mastectomy, and penectomy.
But Representative Bonnie Collison, a Democrat, emphasized that “this is entirely about health.” Collison countered Fisher’s argument by adding that the surgeries he was concerned about would only be offered under extreme circumstances and when medically necessary and indicated for one’s health. The bill also says that all gender-affirming medical care will only take place after consultation with a parent, patient, and medical provider.
A proposed Fisher Amendment to prevent minors from receiving gender confirmation care failed by a ratio of 90-37, according to the Baltimore Banner. The Republican-backed Second Amendment, which aims to prevent gender confirmation sponsorship for minors without the consent of both parents, failed in the House of Representatives by 91 to 36.
The legislation will now go to the Senate and, if passed, to the government. Wes Moore, who preceded him He expressed support for the legislation. Passing the bill reaches the center House 426 anti-LGBTQ legislation Sweeping the nation, from bans on drag shows to restrictions on gender confirmation sponsorships.
