House Passes Medicaid Funding Ban for Transgender Youth 215-201 After Historic Party Rift
House Republicans narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would block Medicaid funding for transgender medical care for minors, a move that exposed deep partisan divisions. According to Fox News, the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act passed 215–201, with almost all Democrats opposing the measure.
Democratic opposition was near-unanimous, with only four House Democrats — Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Don Davis (D-NC), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) — joining Republicans in support. The vote marks another high-profile clash over transgender health care and federal funding.
The legislation, authored by Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), would prohibit federal Medicaid reimbursements for certain gender-affirming procedures and treatments for patients under 18, including surgeries and some hormone therapies. Supporters argue the change will protect taxpayer funds and ensure medically unnecessary procedures aren’t subsidized by the government.
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Opponents counter that the bill interferes with medical decisions between doctors, patients, and families, and could limit access to care for vulnerable youth. Critics also warn that the measure could exacerbate health inequities and set a precedent for federal intervention in personal health decisions.
“It’s a direct attack on medical autonomy and families’ rights to make health decisions,” said one Democratic lawmaker on the House floor.
The outcome adds to a wave of federal and state efforts targeting transgender health care, including other House votes this week on related restrictions. The Senate is unlikely to take up the Medicaid bill without broader bipartisan support, leaving its future uncertain. With ongoing national debate over LGBTQ+ health policy, advocates on both sides say they plan to escalate efforts ahead of the next legislative session.
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