Inconsistent Standards for Trans Medicaid Recipients

Due to inconsistent standards, more than half of trans Medicaid recipients are not guaranteed access to gender-affirming care, as explained in a report published by the Williams Institute. The institute is a research think tank focused on LGBTQ issues based out of the University of California Los Angeles.

According to NewNowNext, the Affordable Care Act requires Medicaid programs, aimed at low-income adults in America to cover gender-affirming care for trans patients. However, only 45 percent of trans medicaid patients live in states whose laws explicitly cover gender-affirming care.

The same article also states that about 33 percent of trans Medicaid patients live in places with unclear or undefined standards around trans-affirming care. On top of that, about a fifth of trans Medicaid recipients live in places that actually ban gender-affirming care.

The end result is inconsistent standards of care for trans patients and legal obstacles for them to access the healthcare they are owed under law. This isn’t the first time LGBTQ people have struggled to access equal standards of care.

According to the study coauthor Christy Mallory, “This patchwork of protections creates uncertainty for transgender people who are enrolled in Medicaid … Many transgender people in the U.S. will continue to face obstacles when seeking healthcare just because of where they live.”

In recent years, the Trump administration has also established policies that make it harder for LGBTQ and disabled people. The administration has also made concerted efforts to roll back anti-discrimination protections for trans people as well as protect healthcare providers who refuse to treat trans patients.

Healthcare is becoming a more and more important issue for Democratic candidates, as well as within national politics as a whole. With candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren support Medicaid for All, conversations are moving towards expanded healthcare. Hopefully, our next president addresses rollbacks and facilitates consistent coverage for trans individuals.