A bill advanced in the Iowa Senate Wednesday that would bar Medicaid coverage for what it calls “sex reassignment surgery or treatment related to an individual’s gender dysphoria.”
The courts have blocked the state’s previous attempts to ban Medicaid coverage for transgender Iowans’ gender-affirming care. But this year, Republican lawmakers removed gender identity as a protected characteristic from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. That could help their new attempt at barring Medicaid coverage hold up in court.
Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says banning Medicaid coverage could still be unconstitutional.
“I don’t have a firm answer to that, but what happened earlier this session was a rollback of rights, such as fair housing, employment, financial issues. It should not have impacted some of these other things that remain in the constitution.”
LGBTQ advocates say they’re concerned the proposal is so broad that it could prevent coverage for mental health services for Iowans with gender dysphoria. The provision isn’t in the House version of the health and human services budget. But a key lawmaker says House Republicans will consider adding it.