Report

Medicaid Coverage for Gender-Affirming Surgery

A state-by-state review
July 2024

This collaboration between the Williams Institute, UCLA Health, and Harvard University examines each state’s Medicaid policies to assess the coverage of gender-affirming surgeries in four categories: chest, genital, craniofacial and neck reconstruction, and miscellaneous procedures. It appeared in Health Services Research in June 2024.

AUTHORS
  • Jonnby S. LaGuardia
    Resident Physician, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
  • Madeline G. Chin
    Resident Physician, UW Health
  • Sarah Fadich
    Physician Assistant, Washington Permanente Medical Group
  • Katarina B. J. Morgan
    Dentist and Health Policy Fellow, Harvard University
  • Halena H. Ngo
    Law student, Harvard Law School
  • Meiwand Bedar
    Postdoctorate Fellow, UCLA
  • Shahrzad Moghadam
    Medical Student, UCLA
  • Kelly X. Huang
    Medical Student, Stanford
  • Christy Mallory
    Legal Director
  • Justine C. Lee
    Plastic Surgeon, UCLA
Highlights
In 2022, 26 states and D.C. provided Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care.
Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming facial surgery is less common than chest and genital surgeries.
There is often a lack of clarity around the types of gender-affirming care that are covered by Medicaid.
Medicaid Coverage for Gender-Affirming Surgery