Bill > H1188

This bill aims to ensure comprehensive and accessible gender-affirming healthcare across various state healthcare and insurance systems by establishing consistent standards for verifying and certifying gender-affirming care. The bill applies to multiple state entities including the state commission, medical assistance division, insurers, health insurance corporations, and health maintenance organizations, and requires them to accept written verifications for gender-affirming care from qualified healthcare providers. Specifically, these entities cannot reject a healthcare provider's verification unless it fails to meet established clinical guidelines, and they are limited to requesting only one verification that the care is needed for treating gender dysphoria. The bill defines a "qualified mental health care professional" as a mental health professional meeting the minimum credentials, training, and standards established by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which is a globally recognized organization that develops guidelines for transgender healthcare. By standardizing these requirements across different healthcare and insurance systems, the bill seeks to reduce administrative barriers and improve access to gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1188