Maryland governor signs bill to expand access to gender-affirming care for transgender residents

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — As Republican controlled state legislatures continue advancing legislation targeting gender-affirming care, Maryland is going in a different direction.

Gov. Wes Moore signed the Trans Health Equity Act that requires Maryland Medicaid to expand coverage for gender-affirming care, also known as transition related care by Jan. 1.

Gender-affirming care helps transgender people to align their body appearance with their gender identity through a wide range of services that can include hormones, therapy, and surgery.

"In our state, no one should have to justify their humanness and that's what the Trans Health Equity Act is all about," Gov. Moore said during the Wednesday signing ceremony.

The law removes a state definition of who is allowed to receive gender-affirming care, leaving the decision about what is medically necessary to patients and their doctors.

Lee Blinder, the Executive Director and Founder of Trans Maryland, who has been fighting for the legislation for the past two years says the message behind the bill is quite simple.

"Our bodies are our own, and we will make decisions with our medical providers based on all of the agreements of all the major medical institutions," Blinder told WUSA9.

The law also does away with the prohibition on gender-affirming care for Medicaid recipients under 18.

"It's a unique opportunity to be in the state of Maryland to approve such ground-breaking legislation to really protect our most vulnerable community members," added Blinder.

The research group on gender identity and sexual orientation, the Williams Institute, estimates that 24,000 transgender adults and 8,000 minors live in Maryland.

Legislative analysts say that the law will help two dozen transgender people on Medicaid per year.