S. 2008: Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act

This bill, known as the Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act, aims to amend the Social Security Act to prohibit Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from funding certain gender transition procedures. The key components of the bill are as follows:

Prohibiting Federal Funding

The bill specifically prohibits federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for:

• Gender transition surgeries, which can include various surgical procedures designed to change an individual's physical characteristics to align with their gender identity. This includes procedures such as:
• Castration
• Surgical sterilizations (like tubal ligation and vasectomy)
• Breast augmentation or removal (mastectomy)
• Procedures involving the construction or modification of genitalia (e.g., vaginoplasty, phalloplasty)
• Medications intended to change an individual’s physical development or capabilities regarding gender identity, including hormone treatments and puberty blockers.

Definitions and Exceptions

The bill provides a definition for what constitutes specified gender transition procedures and includes exceptions:

• Puberty blockers for cases of precocious puberty are exempted.
• Medically necessary procedures for individuals with verified disorders of sex development are also exempted, meaning that cases where there is a medical need for these procedures would still receive funding.
• Certain reconstructive surgeries following prior transition procedures that arose out of medical necessity may still receive funding.

Implications for Medicaid and CHIP Programs

The amendment to the Social Security Act will change the eligibility and funding structures for these procedures under Medicaid and CHIP, effectively restricting access to these services for individuals under these programs based on their gender identity. The bill applies to both current and future cases and sets forth rigorous definitions for determining which procedures fall under the restrictions.

Sex Definition

The legislation outlines a strict biological definition of male and female, which is based on reproductive capabilities, affecting how individuals are classified within the bill.

Relevant Companies

None found.