Signed by Governor Wes Moore

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that requires state medicaid cover gender affirming care.

Highlights:

• Requires state medicaid cover gender affirming care beginning January 1, 2024 (Sec. 1).

• Defines “gender-affirming treatment” as any medically necessary treatment consistent with current clinical standards of care prescribed by a licensed health care provider for the treatment of a condition related to the individual’s gender identity, including (Sec. 1):

• Hormone therapy, hormone blockers, and puberty blockers;

• Hair alteration for the purpose of altering secondary sex characteristics and surgical site preparation;

• Alterations to voce, voice therapy, and voice lessons;

• Alterations to abdomen, chest, trunk, and buttocks;

• Alterations to the face and neck;

• Alterations to the genitals and gonads;

• Laser treatment for scars from gender-affirming treatment;

• Standard fertitility preservation procedures;

• Revisions to previous treatments and reversal of treatments;

• Combinations of gender-affirming procedures; and

• Other treatments as presribed to suppress the development of endogenous secondary sex characterstics, align the individual’s appearance or physical body with gender identity, and aleviate symptoms of clinically significant distress resulting from gender dysphoria.

• Specifies that the provisiosn of this bill shall take effect October 1, 2023 (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires state medicaid cover gender affirming care.

Highlights:

• Requires state medicaid cover gender affirming care beginning January 1, 2024 (Sec. 1).

• Defines “gender-affirming treatment” as any medically necessary treatment consistent with current clinical standards of care prescribed by a licensed health care provider for the treatment of a condition related to the individual’s gender identity, including (Sec. 1):

• Hormone therapy, hormone blockers, and puberty blockers;

• Hair alteration for the purpose of altering secondary sex characteristics and surgical site preparation;

• Alterations to voce, voice therapy, and voice lessons;

• Alterations to abdomen, chest, trunk, and buttocks;

• Alterations to the face and neck;

• Alterations to the genitals and gonads;

• Laser treatment for scars from gender-affirming treatment;

• Standard fertitility preservation procedures;

• Revisions to previous treatments and reversal of treatments;

• Combinations of gender-affirming procedures; and

• Other treatments as presribed to suppress the development of endogenous secondary sex characterstics, align the individual’s appearance or physical body with gender identity, and aleviate symptoms of clinically significant distress resulting from gender dysphoria.

• Specifies that the provisiosn of this bill shall take effect October 1, 2023 (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text