Sponsored by: Michelle Risher & KC Hanson of Multnomah County, with the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Oregon Approved: 01/31/2017
A RESOLUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON
WHEREAS the transgender community is one of the most marginalized and underserved segments of our society in healthcare; and
WHEREAS transgender persons experience higher rates of discrimination and barriers to care compared to those who reported discrimination based on sexual orientation or HIV status; and
WHEREAS Oregon’s Health Evidence Review Commission (HERC) voted to extend health care coverage to include transition-related care to transgender individuals under Oregon’s Medicaid program, which came after a four-month-long review of the efficacy of treatments for gender dysphoria and concluded that they are medically necessary for the health and well-being of transgender people; and,
WHEREAS there are discussions and expected proposals seeking to ‘replace’ the ACA, Medicaid and Medicare; and end federal entitlement spending in healthcare by capping federal financial exposure through fixed-dollar insurance tax credits, Medicaid block grants, and voucher-like supports for Medicare premiums: likely to become legislation that will likely result in significant increase changes in transgender healthcare and increase the number of uninsured; and
WHEREAS these changes to Medicaid and the ACA may result in federal funding that will result in a loss of coverage and protections for Oregon’s transgender population; and
WHEREAS the loss of coverage and protections will likely adversely affect the physical health, social disenfranchisement, and mental health of transgender persons, and attempted suicide, which statistics show that 40 percent of all transgender persons have attempted suicide at least once.
Now, Therefore, The Democratic Party of Oregon Resolves That:
1. Democratic Party of Oregon (DPO) supports comprehensive transgender healthcare coverage for all necessary and prescribed medical, surgical, counseling, and mental healthcare procedures and treatments for transgender persons, per the World Professional Association of Transgender Health Standards of Care.
2. We support legislation that will define actual gender identity, transgender, and gender transition specified within the Oregon Insurance Division Bulletin INS 2012-1 regarding the passage of the Oregon Equality Act (Senate Bill 2, 2007 Legislative Session) (SB2.
3. We support regulations requiring that insurers and other licensees transacting insurance in the state of Oregon would be bound by those definitions and providing the comprehensive transgender healthcare as defined in the DPO resolution.
