Recently the Department of Health and Human Services proposed a new rule which would allow insurance companies to exclude gender affirming care.
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I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed rule titled "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability," which would remove the requirement for insurers to cover gender-affirming care as an essential health benefit and restrict access to ACA coverage for DACA recipients.
Gender-affirming care is medically necessary and recognized as such by leading organizations like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Excluding it from essential health benefits would create significant barriers for transgender individuals, leading to worse health outcomes and deepening disparities. Additionally, this rule would disproportionately harm DACA recipients by denying them access to ACA health insurance. Many DACA recipients already face challenges accessing affordable healthcare, and this proposed change would further marginalize them.
This rule undermines the principles of equality, non-discrimination, and justice that the Affordable Care Act is meant to uphold. The decision to remove these protections not only risks the well-being of vulnerable groups but also contradicts the fundamental values of fairness in healthcare access.
I urge you to reconsider this rule and maintain gender-affirming care as an essential health benefit while preserving ACA coverage for DACA recipients. Ensuring healthcare access for all individuals, regardless of gender identity or immigration status, is critical to fostering an equitable and inclusive society.
Thank you for considering my comment.