House Bill 283 and Senate Bill 460, the Trans Health Equity Act, expands Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming health care. Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) supports this bill. Sam Williamson, DRM attorney, is working with the Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition to ensure transgender Marylanders get access to life-saving health care. Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization, have endorsed the medical necessity of this care. Strikingly, 39% of transgender individuals have one or more disabilities, compared to 15% of the general population. It is no surprise that failing to provide adequate treatment for a medical condition, such as gender dysphoria, leads to significant long-term health consequences.
Providing full coverage for gender-affirming care is also legally required. Multiple federal courts have found that states violated nondiscrimination provisions in the Affordable Care Act when they withheld coverage for gender-affirming care.
Take Action: Call on your legislators to support the Trans Health Equity Act! | Advance Maryland
Listed below are several articles providing more details and sharing Sam’s expertise on the subject. Learn More:
Opinion: Maryland Legislators can take bold action to protect our transgender community
Advocates press for passage of Trans Health Equity Actrans
Maryland’s House health committee holds hearing on legislation to protect gender-affirming care
