Day: July 21, 2022

The State of Florida has moved forward with a new policy that would deny Medicaid coverage for transgender treatments including puberty-blockers and hormone therapy. The Florida Department of Health prefaced the likely rule in April, but now the new policy stems from the Agency for Health Care Administration. “Following a review of available literature, clinical guidelines and coverage by other insurers and nations, Florida Medicaid has determined that the research supporting sex reassignment treatment is insufficient to demonstrate efficacy and safety,” said the report, which was signed in June by state Medicaid director Tom Wallace. Among the other procedures not covered included hormone “antagonists,” sex-reassignment surgeries and any “other procedures that alter primary or secondary sexual characteristics.” Pro-LGBT groups, like Equality Florida, have come out in opposition to the new rule from the Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) administration. “Governor DeSantis’ agencies have misrepresented findings and distorted data to advance a political agenda, rather than relying on good science,” said Jon Harris Maurer, public policy director for the LGBTQ-advocacy group Equality Florida on June 2. “This is yet another state agency being used to launch an overt attack on transgender Floridians. The transgender community, like all people, shouldn’t have their…