Just Announced: Hearing on Medicaid Coverage for “Gender Reassignment” Surgery POSTPONED to September 13

DHHS Wants To Hear From You!

Medicaid is a tax-funded health insurance program, with your federal and state tax dollars involved.

• The hearing will take place Wednesday, September 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Howard Recreation Assembly Room at the Governor Hugh Gallen Office Park at 99 Pleasant Street in Concord. Note that this is NOT near the State House.
• Written testimony will be accepted by DHHS via email, fax, or postal mail until September 20. Email michael.holt@dhhs.state.nh.us, fax to 603-271-5590, or send written testimony to DHHS Administrative Rules Unit, 129 Pleasant St., Concord NH 03301.

Hearing is September 13 – So Why Were Children Told the Change Would Be Effective in July?

A concerned parent whose family is served by the N.H. Healthy Families program came forward with a July 31 letter from the program, which was sent separately to his children, ages 11 and 17. The letter was headlined  “Changes to Your Health Insurance Plan.” Among the changes, which the letter states were effective July 1, is this: “We will not limit or exclude health services related to gender transition.” 

Why are children being told that the change is effective July 1, when a hearing on the rule change isn’t until September 13? 

What You Can Do

Attend the September 13 rules hearing, If Cornerstone learns of any schedule change, we will post it on our web site (nhcornerstone.org) and in an email alert.

Whether you can attend or not, put your concerns in writing and send them to DHHS, using the contact information above.

• Why did a letter about the change in “gender reassignment” coverage go out to parents in the N.H. Healthy Families program, when the Medicaid rule is said to be a “proposed” rule change?
• Would children covered by N.H. Healthy Families be able to access “gender reassignment” counseling, medical procedures, hormone treatments, and surgery without parental consent?
• What provisions exist for conscience protections for individual medical personnel choosing not to participate, on religious grounds, in “gender reassignment” work? Would such personnel be barred from serving Medicaid patients altogether?
• If a hospital or healthcare practice were to choose (based on any grounds including religious ones) not to offer “gender reassignment” work, would that hospital or healthcare practice be barred from receiving Medicaid reimbursements altogether?

Watch Cornerstone’s web site and Facebook page for updates on this issue as they develop.