The Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation prohibiting Medicaid from funding gender-affirming healthcare and bans hormonal treatment and gender reassignment for incarcerated people in Kentucky.
According to the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services, as of June 2020, Medicaid covered over 1.5 million (37.9%) Kentuckians.
On Friday, March 18, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Kentucky General Assembly called on House Bill 495 leading to the bill’s passing in a 67-19 vote.
Previously, Beshear signed off on an executive order banning conversion therapy in the Commonwealth and HB 495 would affect the care he previously condemned.
Right after HB 495 was passed, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 2.
SB 2 prohibits incarcerated people in Kentucky from receiving gender-affirming healthcare, according to the bill.
According to the Kentucky Lantern, a reported 67 Kentucky inmates are currently receiving gender-affirming healthcare.
During the General Assembly, Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, shared her concerns about the bills being passed.
“Why is it that we don’t think healthcare is a human right anymore?” Stalker asked. “And who’s next?”
According to the Courier-Journal, Beshear will have time to veto these bills by the end of the month, when the assembly reconvenes on Thursday, March 27 and Friday, March 28.
