Kentucky has officially become the second state to codify a ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming medical care, including hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgeries. This comes after the state’s GOP-controlled legislature voted to override Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s vetoes on several bills, including House Bill 495.
The new law has sparked concerns among LGBTQ+ activists, who argue that it will have devastating consequences for trans Kentuckians. Mason Kalinsky, a trans Kentuckian who has received hormone replacement therapy through Medicaid, expressed worries about how people will survive without access to necessary medical care.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, about 21% of trans adults in the United States are covered by Medicaid, compared to 14% of non-trans adults. The exact number of trans Kentuckians on Medicaid is unclear, but advocates say that many rely on the program for gender-affirming care.
The ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care is part of a broader trend of Republican-led efforts to restrict access to such care. Idaho passed a similar ban, which was blocked in federal court but later allowed to continue.
Other notable bills that were overridden by the legislature include:
- House Bill 695: Mandates a work requirement for Kentuckians to be eligible for Medicaid coverage.
- House Bill 398: Rolls back enforcement of Kentucky worker safety regulations that are more stringent than federal minimums.
- Senate Bill 89: Limits the state’s ability to regulate pollution in certain water sources.
- House Bill 4: Bans spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education.
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