1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

I’m writing to voice my strong opposition to H.R. 3492, which would criminalize the provision of gender-affirming care to transgender young people, and H.R. 498, which would prohibit Medicaid funding of gender-affirming care. H.R. 3492 would charge health care providers with a felony for offering this medically necessary care. Gender-affirming care is supported by medical experts, including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). It is considered best practice and should not be politicized. The criminalization of gender-affirming care could mean fines, jail time for healthcare providers, and parents facing criminal charges for administering prescribed medication. Every family should have the freedom and privacy to go to the doctor and get the care their child needs. Politicians should stay out of the relationship between doctors and patients. Please focus on addressing our actual healthcare crisis and fight for access to medical care for all Americans instead of wasting time trying to restrict care for transgender youth. I strongly urge you to vote no on H.R. 3492 and H.R. 498. Thank you for your consideration.