Summary
Protecting Medi-Cal’s funding and access to gender-affirming care is essential to safeguard the health, mental well-being, and dignity of California’s low-income transgender, gender-expansive, and intersex communities. However, this is currently threatened by federal budget cuts and policy proposals that would exacerbate existing disparities and costs.
For the 36,000 TGI Californians with low incomes who qualify for Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program serves as a lifeline that provides them with free or low-cost health coverage. The report encourages policymakers to protect Medi-Cal and access to gender-affirming care so that all Californians can access lifesaving care, have better mental health outcomes, and live with dignity.
This report uses 2019 to 2023 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data on transgender and gender expansive Californians' experiences with psychological distress, poor health outcomes, and delays in receiving care.