 Health Care |
Health Care |
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Gender-affirming care bans mount across the country |
This week three GOP governors signed into law bills that restrict youth access to transgender health services. | Republican governors in Idaho, Iowa and Georgia each signed bills targeting youth access to transgender care, like hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery. The governors argue that children are too young to be making medical decisions related to gender-affirming care. "We need to just pause; we need to understand what these emerging therapies actually may potentially do to our kids," Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) said this week. Advocates have pushed back, pointing to the extensive level of counseling that is recommended as best medical practice for trans youth seeking treatment for gender dysphoria. They also argue that gender-affirming care for trans youth results in better mental health outcomes and surgeries often don't occur until they reach adulthood. Some medical organizations have spoken out against these bans, with the American Medical Association urging U.S. governors to "stop interfering in the medical care of transgender minors" and saying these decisions should be left to patients and their physicians. Advocates have also argued that these bans lack nuance. The ban in Georgia has brought renewed scrutiny on the state's continued allowance of intersex surgeries on children. Intersex refers to people who are born with traits that do not fit completely within the medical definitions of male and female. As The 19th News reported, more than two-thirds of the bills banning gender-affirming care include exemptions for intersex surgery. These surgeries allow surgeons to assign binary genders to individuals. The United Nations has condemned these operations as doing more harm than good, especially for children too young to consent. Legal pushback has already begun, with four Florida families this week filing a federal lawsuit against the state's medical board's rules that prevent minors from acquiring gender-affirming care. The families are arguing the effective ban is unconstitutional and discriminatory on the basis of sex and transgender status. |
Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. |
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a lower court decision to block the government from enforcing its COVID-19 vaccine requirement on federal employees — reversing a previous ruling from a smaller panel of its own judges. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a rare en banc rehearing that a preliminary nationwide injunction on the vaccine mandate should remain in place while the case proceeds. The … |
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| Abortion will remain legal in Guam after a federal judge denied a request to lift a long-standing permanent injunction blocking a total abortion ban. The U.S. District Court for the District of Guam rejected Attorney General Douglas Moylan's (R) request to vacate a federal court's permanent injunction from 1990 barring Guam from enforcing a law that would have made it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion and criminalized … |
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Republicans in the Idaho House blocked a bill that would provide free menstrual products to public school students, calling it "liberal" and "woke." The bill would have funded free menstrual product dispensers for sixth through 12th grade students in girls bathrooms at a cost of about $300,000 per year, or $3.50 per student, after a one-time installation cost of about $435,000. "It's not a lot of money in the state's budget," … |
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"Pathways to Patient Affordability" – Thursday, March 30, 10:30 a.m. ET What will the post-IRA health care landscape look like? And what hurdles remain for patients seeking quality care? The Hill will host a deep-dive discussion on the complexities within the American health care system and the path to patient affordability. Join Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) in conversation with The Hill's Bob Cusack at the Hilton Washington DC Capitol Hill. Breakfast begins at 10:30 AM ET and programming begins at 11 a.m. ET. The event will also be streamed nationally. Reserve your spot now |
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A MESSAGE FROM THE COALITION FOR AFFORDABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS |
Our pharmacy benefit protects us from big drug companies |
Big drug companies keep raising prices. But my small business has a pharmacy benefit, saving us each $1,040 a year. Congress should focus on the real cause of high drug prices - Big Pharma. Learn more. | |
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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(NewsNation) — The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is reportedly raising money to give $1,000 monthly payments to some expectant mothers living in certain areas of the city. |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- Tennessee's rejection of $8.8 million in federal funding alarms H.I.V. prevention groups (The New York Times)
- Some Texas groups resume funding out-of-state abortions after court ruling (The Texas Tribune)
- Health providers scramble to keep remaining staff amid Medicaid rate debate (Kaiser Health News)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Abrupt closure of ketamine clinic chain blindsides veterans and others with severe depression and chronic pain (NBC News)
- Students struggle academically, fight in schools amid Adderall shortage (Wall Street Journal)
- Former surgeon general Jerome Adams tries to outrun the shadow of the president he served (Stat)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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House Republicans passed an education bill on Friday that emphasizes parental rights in the classroom, leaning into a hot-button, culture war issue … Read more |
| Former President Trump argued early Friday morning that filing charges against him could result in "potential death & destruction" as he railed … Read more |
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You're all caught up. See you next week! |
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