Trans care battle coming to medical board?
FLORIDA POLITICS – Gov Ron DeSantis wants to ensure no taxpayer dollars are spent on supplying gender-affirming care through the Florida Medicaid program.
But some worry that the administration will use the Florida Board of Medicine to prevent Florida physicians from providing gender-affirming care regardless of who’s paying.
While the issue doesn’t appear on the agenda for the upcoming Aug. 5 Board of Medicine (BOM) meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, documents affirm the Governor’s position to block or curtail the care included in the 4,000-plus page “public book.” The massive public book generally contains information the board will discuss at the meeting.
“Stop the unethical treatment of children under the duplicitous banner of gender identity …”
University of Florida professor Michael Haller, M.D., worries that the board will move to adopt its standard of care for gender medicine outside of what already exists.
The state hasn’t floated any specific rule language for consideration, and Haller says he doesn’t know how far the state is willing to take it.
Florida Board of Medicine members know the DeSantis administration’s interest in the issue.
State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo sent a letter to BOM members June 2 requesting that the issue be considered highlighting the recommendations he made earlier in the month that specific pharmaceutical, non-pharmaceutical, and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria not be used.
The board did not publicly discuss the issue.
But there have been new board members since that meeting, including Dr. Patrick Hunter, a Pensacola pediatrician.
Hunter actively posts about trans care on his Twitter account, and among his followers are Chloe Cole, a 17-year-old from California who spoke at the state’s Medicaid meeting, and Partners for Ethical Care, which, according to its website, has the goal of raising awareness and supporting efforts to “stop the unethical treatment of children under the duplicitous banner of gender identity … ”
