Transgender Health Care Access Act
Transgender Health Care Access Act aims to broaden access to evidence-based gender-affirming care by funding education, training, and capacity-building across the health care system. The bill would authorize grants to medical schools, teaching health centers, and other eligible entities to develop and share model curricula on gender-affirming care; fund demonstration training programs for residents, fellows, and various health professionals; expand capacity at community health centers to provide gender-affirming care; and create rural provider networks to improve access in rural areas. It also requires a congressionally mandated report within two years on progress and health equity impacts. Funding is authorized for multiple specific programs from 2026 through 2030, with distinct grant-by-grant timelines and priorities. The act defines gender-affirming care as health care designed to treat gender dysphoria, covering a broad range of medical, behavioral, mental health, surgical, preventive, and supportive services, while explicitly excluding conversion therapy. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would administer the programs through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and coordinate dissemination of curricula via the National Library of Medicine and NIH, in partnership with medical education accrediting bodies. Priority for awards goes to entities with experience serving transgender populations or serving areas with limited access to gender-affirming care.
Key Points
- 1Establishes grants to improve medical education and training on gender-affirming care
- 2- Eligible recipients include health profession schools, health care delivery sites with trainees, and licensing/accrediting entities.
- 3- Curricula must cover gender-affirming care and cultural competency; can use didactic, clinical, simulated, and community-based teaching methods.
- 4- Model curricula will be disseminated through national medical education channels.
- 5Creates a training demonstration program for a wide range of providers
- 6- Grants support training for residents/fellows (medical), and for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, counselors, nurses, and social workers to practice gender-affirming care.
- 7- Institutions must provide or host training that improves culturally competent care and supports related research and standards.
- 8- Priority to entities with history serving transgender people or expanding access in underserved areas.
- 9- Minimum grant period of 5 years for these training-focused efforts.
- 10Expands capacity for gender-affirming care at community health centers
- 11- Grants to increase bidirectional capacity at community health centers (e.g., FQHCs, Native/Tribal health centers, rural clinics) to provide gender-affirming care.
- 12- Use of funds includes staff education, establishing community review boards, updating electronic health records, and related administrative costs.
- 13- Minimum grant period of 3 years.
- 14Supports training networks for rural providers
- 15- Establishes grants for collaborative networks to improve the quality of gender-affirming care in rural areas.
- 16- Eligible rural health providers and health centers can participate; activities include additional training, provider-to-provider education, and patient education.
- 17Requires a progress report to Congress
- 18- Not later than 2 years after enactment, the Secretary must report on program progress and on improving health equity for transgender populations.
- 19- The report should include workforce development recommendations to improve access and quality of gender-affirming care.
- 20Definitions and scope
- 21- Gender-affirming care is health care for treating gender dysphoria and related services, excluding conversion therapy.
- 22- The “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of Health and Human Services; implementation is led by HRSA with dissemination through NIH and the National Library of Medicine.
- 23Funding and duration (illustrative)
- 24- Curricula development and dissemination: about $10 million per year (2026–2030) with 3-year grant terms.
- 25- Training demonstration program: about $15 million per year (2026–2030) with 5-year minimum terms.
- 26- Expanding CHC capacity: about $15 million per year (2026–2030) with 3-year minimum terms.
- 27- Rural provider training networks: about $5 million per year (2026–2030).
- 28- Total funding across these sections is substantial, aimed at building education, capacity, and rural access over the 2026–2030 window.