The "Transgender Health Care Access Act" aims to improve transgender individuals' access to gender-affirming care by expanding medical education, establishing training programs, and increasing capacity at community health centers and rural healthcare providers.
Becca Balint
Representative
VT
The "Transgender Health Care Access Act" aims to improve access to gender-affirming care by expanding medical education and training programs, particularly within community health centers and rural areas. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for developing model curricula, training medical professionals, and supporting community health centers in providing gender-affirming care. The Act prioritizes entities serving transgender populations and areas with limited access to care, and allocates specific funding for these initiatives from 2026 through 2030. Finally, the Act requires a report to Congress detailing the progress and impact of these programs on health equity for transgender individuals.
New Bill Proposes $45 Million Annually to Boost Gender-Affirming Care Training and Access
This legislation, the Transgender Health Care Access Act, aims to tackle recognized gaps in healthcare for transgender individuals by investing in education and resources. It proposes allocating a total of $45 million per year from fiscal year 2026 through 2030 across several grant programs designed to improve how medical professionals are trained and how care is delivered, particularly in community and rural settings.
Closing the Knowledge Gap
A core focus of the bill is improving medical training. Citing findings that many medical students feel unprepared to treat transgender patients (Sec 3), the Act earmarks $10 million annually for grants to health professions schools and training sites (Sec 5). The goal is to develop and implement better curricula covering gender-affirming care and cultural competency. Think simulated patient scenarios, updated coursework, and community-based learning.
Another $15 million per year is designated for a demonstration program (Sec 6) specifically to train medical residents and fellows in relevant fields (like primary care, pediatrics, endocrinology), as well as other key providers such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, counselors, nurses, and social workers. This includes funding academic programs to research best practices and set curriculum standards. Priority goes to programs with a track record or those serving areas where access is currently limited.
Boosting Local Care Options
The Act recognizes that training needs to translate into accessible services. It allocates $15 million annually (Sec 7) for grants directly to community-based clinics – like Federally Qualified Health Centers, community mental health centers, and rural health clinics – specifically to build their capacity to offer gender-affirming care. Funds could be used for staff training, updating electronic health records for better tracking, or covering administrative costs tied to providing these services.
For more remote areas, an additional $5 million per year (Sec 8) is proposed for grants to create collaborative networks. These networks would focus on improving gender-affirming care quality in rural settings through provider-to-provider education, specialized training for rural healthcare workers, and patient education initiatives.
The Fine Print and Follow-Up
The bill defines "gender-affirming care" as medical, mental health, and surgical services for treating gender dysphoria, explicitly excluding conversion therapy (Sec 4). The grants outlined generally span 3 to 5 years, suggesting a sustained investment. To track progress, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to report back to Congress within two years on how these programs are working and offer recommendations for further workforce development (Sec 9). Essentially, it's an investment strategy focused on building expertise and capacity from the classroom to the clinic, particularly in underserved communities.