Saint Paul, Minn. – On Monday, April 15, the Minnesota House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee passed the Commerce policy bill. The bill focuses on consumer and child protections, medical debt reform, net neutrality, and more.
The policy package includes HF 2607, authored by Representative Leigh Finke (DFL-Saint Paul). The proposal requires health plans to provide coverage for physical or mental health services for gender-affirming care. The bill also requires that health plans consider gender-affirming care as medically necessary as long as it meets professional standards, guidelines, or medical practices.
“Gender-affirming care is essential and life-saving healthcare,” said Rep. Finke. “The data is clear: access to gender-affirming care improves the quality of life for our community while denying trans people care can have devastating consequences. Transgender and gender-diverse individuals deserve to live our fullest, most authentic lives. For many of us, that means affordable access to gender-affirming care. I am grateful to my colleagues for supporting this important measure and expanding coverage to trans people across Minnesota.”
Gender-affirming treatments are supported by scientific evidence and, when performed with proper clinical oversight, are proven to be safe. The safety, efficacy, and importance of GAC has been recognized by many medical and psychological associations, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Having passed the House and Senate, the Commerce policy bill will now be finalized in a conference committee. Video of the hearing can be found on the House Info YouTube Page.
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