Protect Funding and Access to Gender-Affirming Care (UPDATED 12/19)
Updates
December 18, 2025: The House has passed H.R. 498 by a 215-201 vote. The Department of HHS also proposed new actions that will remove gender dysmorphia as a federally-protected “disability” and block federal funding for any hospital that provides gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Similar medical treatment for cisgender children will still be deemed safe.
December 17, 2025: The House has passed H.R. 3492, by a 216-211 vote. Republicans Evans (CO), Fitzpatrick, Kennedy (UT), and Lawler voted No; Democrats Cuellar, Davis (NC), and Gonzalez voted Yes. They have not yet voted on H.R. 498.
December 15, 2025: The House has scheduled floor votes on two bills this week seeking to ban and criminalize gender-affirming care for transgender youth. H.R. 498, the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act introduced by Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), would ban Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care for trans youth, while H.R. 3492, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” bans all gender-affirming care nationwide and makes it a felony offense.
Throughout this term, congressional Republicans have repeatedly pushed forward legislation to block federal funding and access to gender-affirming care for transgender Americans, particularly trans youth. Early text of H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” included provisions that endanger life-saving gender-affirming care for Medicaid enrollees and persons receiving care through Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans; this language was ultimately removed from the bill before passage. The House appropriations bill for Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education and Related Agencies also included an expanded version of their “Big Beautiful Budget” language. Trump also used restrictions on transgender rights and health care access as a political threat during the government shutdown.
Since 2016, both Medicaid and ACA insurers have been prohibited from categorically excluding gender affirming surgery or hormone therapy from their coverage. Lawmakers are now moving to reverse these protections through the federal budget appropriations process with new targeted legislation to ban transgender care, or by sneaking harmful anti-trans provisions into broader legislative packages, such as bills to extend the ACA premium tax credits.
The research is clear: gender-affirming care saves lives. Call your representatives and demand they oppose any legislative bill or provision that strips funding and access to gender-affirming care.
Submit a public comment here on the proposed rule to cut federal funding for hospitals that provide care for transgender minors.
Submit a public comment here on the proposed rule to block Medicaid funding for transgender minors.
Contacts for this topic:
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].
I’m calling to urge [REP/SEN NAME] to oppose the House-passed bills H.R. 3492, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, and H.R. 498, the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act. These bills will unnecessarily ban, and even criminalize, health care for transgender Americans. Congress should be working to increase access and lower costs for all Americans, not attack a vulnerable population and block them from life-saving care.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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