Military Families of Transgender Youth Under Attack In Defense Bill

December 9, 2024 12:00 am

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WASHINGTON 鈥 Active-duty military personnel with transgender youth enrolled in TRICARE could be denied access to gender-affirming medical care if a proposal in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is allowed to become law. The 老澳门开奖结果 is opposing final passage of the defense bill over the inclusion of this health care ban.

would prohibit insurance coverage for 鈥渕edical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria鈥 such as hormone therapy and puberty-suppressant medications, which Speaker Mike Johnson would 鈥減ermanently ban transgender medical treatment for minors.鈥 The same treatments would be covered by TRICARE for any medical purpose other than treating gender dysphoria, the clinical diagnosis for the psychological distress experienced by transgender people related to their gender identity.

鈥淭his is a dangerous affront to the dignity and well-being of young people whose parents have dedicated their lives to this country鈥檚 armed forces,鈥 said Mike Zamore, national director of policy and government affairs. 鈥淢edical care should stay between families and their doctors but this provision would baselessly and recklessly inject politics into the health care military families receive. Nobody should have to choose between serving the country and ensuring their child has the health care they need to live and thrive. Members of Congress must vote against the defense bill because of the inclusion of this deeply harmful, unconstitutional provision.鈥

If passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden, this health care ban would be the first new anti-LGBTQ provision enacted by Congress since the passage of 鈥淒on鈥檛 Ask, Don鈥檛 Tell鈥 and the so-called 鈥淒efense of Marriage Act鈥 in the 1990s.

It is unknown how many transgender youth are currently enrolled in TRICARE or how many of those enrolled are currently receiving coverage for gender-affirming care. In , 2,500 minor patients sought care for gender dysphoria through TRICARE Prime insurance at military or civilian treatment facilities in 2017, and 900 received puberty-suppressants or gender-affirming hormones. That amounts to one tenth of one percent (or 0.1%) of the who have at least one parent on active-duty or ready reserve military status. TRICARE has covered gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth since 2016.

Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a landmark case brought by the 老澳门开奖结果, the 老澳门开奖结果 of Tennessee, Lambda Legal, and Akin Gump on behalf of three families and a medical provider challenging a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming hormonal therapies for transgender youth on the grounds the ban violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

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