Requires Medicaid to cover gender-affirming care regardless of federal funding; prohibits discriminatory practices by health care entities and insurers…

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Gustavo Rivera says this is needed

Access to gender-affirming care is a matter of medical necessity and public health, and it is more critical than ever in light of escalating federal actions that have actively undermined care for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. Recent federal policies have not only threatened or withdrawn funding for medically necessary gender-affirming services, but have also fueled widespread misinformation that distorts clinical evidence and stigmatizes an already vulnerable population. These actions have created significant barriers to care, exacerbated health inequities, and placed transgender and gender-nonconforming indi- viduals at increased risk for adverse physical and mental health outcomes, including heightened rates of depression, anxiety, and suici- dality. Gender-affirming care is supported by major medical and mental health associations as evidence-based, life-saving treatment. Denying or restricting access is not rooted in science, but in ideology, and directly harms patients. Gender-affirming care is not limited to transgender and gender-noncon- forming individuals, although it is presented as almost exclusively in connection with those populations. Such care is administered to cisgen- der patients, including those whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth. Cisgender people have been utilizing hormone therapy for decades to treat medical conditions such as erectile dysfunction and for alleviating menstrual or menopause related symptoms. Other examples include breast reconstruction after a mastectomy for cisgender women, hair transplants for male-pattern baldness, body contouring procedures, and testosterone therapy for cis men with low testosterone. Gender-affirming care is predominately used by cisgender individuals, highlighting the true intentions of the federal government and emphasiz- ing the need for this legislation. New York State has a responsibility to act decisively to protect access to medically necessary, evidence- based care and to counteract the harmful effects of federal disinvest- ment and disinformation. Ensuring Medicaid coverage and establishing dedicated funding streams for gender-affirming care is essential to safeguarding the health, dignity, and fundamental human rights of trans- gender and gender-nonconforming New Yorkers. This legislation is more imperative than ever at a time where the feder- al government is challenging the mere existence of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, creating a danger to both the wellbe- ing of these communities and their ability to receive healthcare. By amending the human rights law to include healthcare entities, we are guaranteeing the same protections and healthcare access for all New Yorkers, regardless of sexual-orientation, gender-identity, race, national origin, age, disability, color, and creed.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.