Transgender Texans of all ages could have their access to transition-related medical treatments severely limited — or effectively ended — under a bill the Texas Senate preliminary approved Tuesday.
Senate Bill 1029 would make physicians and health insurers financially liable for their patients’ lifetime medical, mental health, and pharmaceutical costs resulting from complications of gender-affirming medical care even if the providers lack fault or criminal intent. The bill exempts such treatments for kids with medically verifiable genetic sex disorders.
According to health groups, the bill would make it highly unlikely for healthcare providers offering these treatments to be able to get medical liability coverage, leaving them personally on the hook for potential medical, legal, and other costs. These financial risks could deter physicians from providing puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and gender-affirming surgeries to trans people of all ages in the state.
The Senate voted 18-12 Tuesday to give the bill initial approval. It now awaits another vote before it can move to the House. The Senate has also already approved Senate Bill 14, a priority bill that would ban transgender kids from receiving transition-related care, like puberty blockers and hormone therapies. A House committee has also advanced that legislation and the majority of House members have signed on to support such a ban.
Major medical groups approve of transition-related care and say it lessens higher rates of depression and suicide for trans youth. #queer_up_trans_rights