Md. lawmakers calling for more equitable access to gender-affirming health care

MARYLAND – A pair of Maryland lawmakers are preparing for their next steps after calling on the Department of Health (MDH) to revisit its Medicaid policy on health care for transgender people.

Calling On MDH

In the letter, Delegate Anne Kaiser and State Senator Mary Washington warned that the state could face litigation over violating discrimination provisions on the federal level. Currently, Maryland’s Medicaid policy only covers a handful of gender-affirming care options. Plus, recipients must meet very specific criteria. “These things are covered in private insurance. So, it’s just one more case where people with money have the ability to have certain things, and those who are poorer have disadvantages,” said Del. Kaiser.

However, MDH recently responded, saying they would not make any changes to the existing Medicaid policy. Now, Del. Kaiser and Sen. Washington are looking to bring the issue back up in the 2023 Maryland General Assembly (MGA) session. “For a lot of transgender Marylanders, and certainly in other places too, being able to get these gender-affirming treatments allows them to look in the mirror and feel good about themselves and who they are,” said Del. Kaiser. “But also less likely to put themselves in harm’s way because of other peoples’ bigotry and hatred.”

Bill Vanishes

This renewed effort comes after the lawmakers teamed up on Senate Bill 682 in the 2022 MGA session. The legislation would have the same gender-affirming care coverage to Medicaid recipients as those who use private insurance. However, when the bill passed out of the Senate chamber, Del. Kaiser says it vanished into thin air. “Having it disappear from the website is something I’ve never seen in my 20 years in the General Assembly; having a vote in my committee disappear, as if it didn’t happen,” she said.

The strange sequence of events has left the lawmakers with a greater sense of urgency to get the legislation passed. “Transgender people are just like the rest of us. They just want the basic, same life that everybody else has. This is a really small measure to make their lives easier,” said Del. Kaiser.

Preparing For Next Session

Del. Kaiser says the focus now is on connecting with advocates and constituents. The other part of the process, will be to humanize the people the lawmakers are advocating for, by having them meet with other lawmakers. “I think a lot of people don’t know anyone who’s transgender. So, they don’t know what it means, they’re uncomfortable with difference, unfortunately, as human kind seems to be, too often,” said Del. Kaiser.