1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

CA Senate Bill (SB) 418 would prohibit a health plan or a health insurance provider from denying coverage or denying benefits to a person based upon their race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex – including sex characteristics such as intersex traits, pregnancy, and gender identity.   
In preventing discrimination in healthcare coverage, SB 418 would protect anyone who is subject to discrimination, generally, and sex stereotyping, specifically, from losing coverage or being denied benefits on the basis of sex. Sex stereotyping includes the labeling of a person’s appearance and/or actions as problematic (e.g. “not feminine enough”) based on reductive and unscientific beliefs about sex and gender. 
Given the focus on sex stereotyping, SB 418 protects coverage for gender affirming care, such as hormone therapy, cosmetic procedures, or psychological support, at a moment when the provision of this care may be newly challenged, based on federal attempts to re-litigate and limit the definition of sex.     
Access to gender-affirming care is a fundamental aspect of health equity and human rights. Everyone deserves the right to receive the care they need to make informed decisions about their bodies. Supporting SB 418 is a commitment to safeguarding the rights of all people who access gender affirming care, with particular emphasis on protections for members of the transgender and nonbinary communities across California.