Steve Marshall files support for Florida in transgender Medicaid lawsuit

Steve Marshall files support for Florida in transgender Medicaid lawsuit

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is supporting Florida’s effort to deny some Medicaid coverage to state residents who are transgender or nonbinary.

Last year, a Florida state agency decided to stop the state’s Medicaid program from covering puberty-blockers, hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgeries for people diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

A report from the agency, which has been criticized by many medical experts, claimed that such procedures did not clearly treat gender dysphoria and can have harmful effects. Many of the same procedures still are available, under Medicaid, to treat different conditions.

LGBTQ advocates sued Florida, claiming the agency’s new approach is discriminatory.

A statement from Marshall’s office claims that available scientific evidence does not support puberty blockers, hormone treatment, or gender-affirming surgery as safe and effective treatments for gender dysphoria.

Marshall said he does not believe that taxpayer dollars should be used for “experimental medical interventions.”

Eight other states have similar restrictions on Medicaid coverage, according to the Movement Advancement Project. Two others — Mississippi and Arkansas prevent Medicaid from covering certain gender-affirming care for children.

Alabama does not currently block Medicaid coverage for health care related to gender dysphoria.

Marshall currently is defending an Alabama law that would ban many forms of gender-affirming care for children and minors in the state.