Florida Medicaid

Gov. DeSantis and other Republican leaders across the country have made a priority of trying to restrict treatments for transgender people with gender dysphoria.

Lawmakers have filed bills that would allow Medicaid beneficiaries with “serious mental illness” to avoid a practice known as step therapy in receiving medications.

As the state defends its process, the executive director of the Center for Children and Families says, "We know children are losing Medicaid," but "where are they going?"

Some 431,000 Florida residents -- including many children -- have lost Medicaid since May, when the state began unwinding the coverage mandated during the pandemic.

The waivers aim to reduce the risk of eligible families losing Medicaid coverage due to procedural errors. Eligibility is being determined again after a pandemic break.

The latest ruling involves a lawsuit filed on behalf of two adults and two minors. An estimated 9,000 transgender people in Florida use Medicaid to fund their treatments.

The pandemic forced states to not kick anyone off the Medicaid rolls. That ended in April. Many of those booted from the program are scrambling to keep their eligibility.

Almost one million Floridians are expected to lose their Medicaid coverage on April 1st, and state officials say that's not a joke.

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration rule prevents reimbursements to medical providers for such treatments as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgery.

22 health-care organizations are seeking to bolster a legal challenge to a new Florida rule that prevents Medicaid from paying for treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender people.