Today, Fair Wisconsin submitted the personal testimony of over 150 Wisconsinites on two proposed rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid threatening access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
“These proposed rules would hold federal funding hostage from vulnerable trans youth and hospitals that provide their medically necessary health care, all to advance an extremist political agenda,” said Abigail Swetz, Executive Director of Fair Wisconsin. “That is just wrong; Wisconsinites know that, and that is why they have turned out to tell this federal administration to stop these vicious attacks on trans kids and the health care system.”
Fair Wisconsin received over 150 impact statements in support of trans youth and opposing these dangerous proposed rules. Statements came from our state’s trans young people and their families, including parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. It is imperative that this federal administration hears directly from the people who will be, or already are, most impacted by these threats to gender-affirming care, especially as we have seen some hospitals pause care even in advance of these proposed rules being finalized. In recognition of the larger threat these proposed rules posed to every American’s health through the proposed rules’ extremist politicization of health care, statements also came from community members like medical and mental health providers, educators and social services professionals, and individual Wisconsinites with no direct connection to trans youth who still chose to use their voices to defend the access to their medically necessary health care.
In preparation for this public comment period, Fair Wisconsin worked with a coalition of state and national partners to create processes for individuals to comment on the proposed rules while protecting their own personal information from a hostile federal administration. As a part of that process, Fair Wisconsin held ten workshops during the 60-day public comment period, many in partnership with LGBTQ+ community centers and fellow advocacy organizations. These workshops explained the importance of public comment and how to write an impactful statement, and then provided a protected process for Wisconsinites to submit their impact statements to Fair Wisconsin for inclusion without attribution in the organization’s public comments.
“Trans people are our family, our friends, and our neighbors. People across Wisconsin recognize this, and despite the toxic attacks coming from the highest offices of this federal administration, we turned out for our kids and the bright futures they – and we – have when their health care is accessible. Thank you, Wisconsin,” said Executive Director Swetz.
Public comments on both proposed rules are available on the Federal Register.
- Medicaid Program: Prohibition on Federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program Funding for Sex-Rejecting Procedures Furnished to Children
- Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Hospital Condition of Participation: Prohibiting Sex Rejecting Procedures for Children
For past press releases, including Fair Wisconsin’s release on the announcement of the CMS proposed rules, visit https://fairwisconsin.com/news-press/.
