Medicaid must pay for transgender interventions in Florida, judge rules

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a law that prohibited Floridians from using Medicaid to cover the cost of puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy, and surgery. There was “no rational basis” to exclude these interventions from other expenses covered by Medicaid, wrote U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle. The rule and accompanying statute violated the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause and the Affordable Care Act’s prohibition of discrimination based on sex, he said.

Has he issued any other rulings? Earlier this month, Hinkle blocked a Florida law that prohibits transgender interventions for minors from applying to three minors. Hinkle’s preliminary injunction applies only to those three children. At the law’s signing earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said it outlaws “the mutilation of minors,” which brings on “irreversible changes.” 

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report in Relations about states enacting laws to protect children from the transgender wave.