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H.R. 2487: Transgender Health Care Access Act

This bill, titled the Transgender Health Care Access Act, aims to improve access to health care for transgender individuals by supporting evidence-based and lifesaving treatments. It consists of various components aimed at enhancing the quality and accessibility of gender-affirming care through education, training, and resource allocation. Below are the key sections of the bill:

Findings

The bill outlines several findings about the importance of gender-affirming care. These include:

Gender-affirming care enhances self-esteem and lowers rates of depression and self-harm in transgender individuals.
There is a consensus among major medical organizations on the necessity of this care for transgender people's health.
Health professions lack adequate training in providing care to transgender patients.
Educational gaps hinder appropriate health care delivery to transgender populations.

Definitions

The bill defines "gender-affirming care" as medical assistance designed to alleviate gender dysphoria through various medical, behavioral, and therapeutic services. It explicitly excludes conversion therapy.

Improving Medical Education Curricula

The bill authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants for the development and implementation of training programs and curricula focusing on:

Gender-affirming care techniques.
Cultural competency in treating transgender patients.

Eligible entities for grants include health care professions schools and organizations that provide clinical training.

Training Demonstration Program

A demonstration program will be established to provide funding for organizations to train medical residents, nursing students, and other health professionals in gender-affirming care practices. Training will emphasize improving care for transgender individuals and includes research on developing best practices.

Expanding Capacity at Community Health Centers

Grants will be provided to community health centers to better integrate gender-affirming services. This may include training staff, establishing community review boards, and upgrading health records to better service transgender populations.

Training Rural Providers

Federal funding will support the establishment of networks aimed at improving the quality of gender-affirming care in rural areas. This includes facilitating additional training and workshops for rural health care providers.

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to report to Congress within two years after the enactment of the bill, detailing the progress made in implementing these health care programs and their impacts on health equity for transgender populations.

Funding Provisions

The bill includes specific funding allocations for various initiatives:

$10 million annually for improving medical education curricula related to gender-affirming care from 2026 to 2030.
$15 million annually for training programs for medical professionals from 2026 to 2030.
$15 million annually for enhancing community health center capacities from 2026 to 2030.
$5 million annually for training rural providers from 2026 to 2030.