Florida Medicaid Transgender Care Fight Escalates

Florida's legal battle over Medicaid coverage for transgender individuals seeking hormone therapy and puberty blockers has intensified following recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions. The state argues that the ruling in United States v. Skrmetti, which upheld Tennessee's ban on such treatments for minors, and Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which restricts Medicaid beneficiary lawsuits, support its Medicaid policy. Florida contends there is no medical consensus on gender dysphoria treatments and asserts broad authority to protect its citizens. Plaintiffs maintain that the Skrmetti ruling is limited and does not justify discrimination against transgender people, claiming Florida's policy violates the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection guarantees. The Supreme Court is also set to address broader transgender rights issues next term, including bans on transgender athletes and a Colorado law concerning therapists' approaches to gender identity. These developments highlight ongoing national legal debates over transgender protections.