Latest news with #MedicalEthicsDefenseAct
Business Insider
08-05-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
Living on $270 monthly: How a millennial trans woman crowdfunds to pay her bills
Dishes, check. Laundry, check. Take out the trash, check. Each day, Stephanie Todd meticulously budgets her time and energy to accomplish basic chores around the house. Todd has chronic pain from a myriad of physical disabilities and illnesses that make it difficult to walk or work full time. The 42-year-old makes around $270 a month and relies on crowdfunding to meet the rest of her monthly expenses. Compounding her health complications, Todd is also a transgender woman living in Idaho who relies on Medicaid in a state that has banned public funds from covering gender affirming care. It means Todd asks on Bluesky for donations via Venmo to cover her daily expenses and to raise money for her medical transition. "I am absolutely dependent on donations from strangers to meet my day-to-day medical needs, because my paycheck isn't sufficient and the food stamps don't cover medications," Todd said. Although there aren't nationwide numbers on transgender people who crowdfund for medical expenses, a study published by the American Public Health Association shows that transgender people are more likely to be uninsured and face barriers to accessing quality medical care. Todd is worried about the future and what potential Medicaid cuts might mean for her financial situation. "I already got a text from the pharmacy with a bill for a med that should have been covered," said Todd. "I'm already facing an uncertain situation today." Barriers to healthcare access Todd said she faces cost barriers and discrimination when trying to access healthcare. "It's not just difficult getting gender affirming care. It's difficult just getting basic healthcare in Idaho," Todd said,adding that sometimes pharmacists have refused to refill her prescription for hormones. "A lot of healthcare providers and pharmacies and urgent care places refuse to even provide medical care at all, of any nature, to trans people due to supposed religious objections," Todd said. The Medical Ethics Defense Act, signed into law on March 19, 2025, allows healthcare providers in Idaho to deny patients procedures, prescriptions, and services based on moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. Todd has a permanently broken foot, neuropathy in her legs, carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, and gastroparesis, which requires her to see multiple specialists to address all her health conditions. Even if her physicians are supportive of transgender people, doctors sometimes have to navigate the legal minefield of providing gender affirming care in Idaho. "Doctors in Idaho have to get creative in how they prescribe things in order to still be able to bill Medicaid," Todd said. House Bill 668 restricts the use of public funds for gender affirming medical care for someone's transition. Passed on March 27, 2024, the law makes it illegal for transgender people like Todd to use their Medicaid insurance to pay for hormones or gender affirming surgery. Other procedures that Todd is seeking, from bottom surgery and breast augmentation to laser hair removal, are not cheap and can cost, on average, tens of thousands of dollars without health insurance coverage, per a study published in the Journal of Law, Medicine, & Ethics. Relying on mutual aid Todd lives with a friend for free and works as a caregiver for an autistic adult once a week for 12 hours, earning her about $135 every two weeks. It's not enough to cover her bills, but because of her physical disabilities, she cannot seek other work. "Walking is incredibly painful," Todd said of her permanently broken foot. "My foot pain is about an 8 to a 9 on the pain chart every day, all day, it never goes away." She can't afford the things she needs, like orthopedic shoes, and asks her community to donate to meet her daily needs. Her costs per day run roughly $35 to purchase lidocaine and ibuprofen for pain, a diet of protein shakes and Gatorade that won't trigger her gastroparesis, and her hormone replacement therapy of estradiol. "I personally have been pretty effective at crowdfunding for myself and for other trans women," Todd said of her social media outreach. "I am well connected with supportive people who have a big, massive reach who care about trans issues." One of those people is DC and Marvel comic book writer Gail Simone. Todd said she has asked Simone for her help amplifying other trans women's GoFundMe pages to her hundreds of thousands of followers, and Simone has always obliged. But for Todd and other transgender people publicly asking for help, there's a delicate balance between the power and danger of visibility online. She said she's been harassed online by users on 4chan, an anonymous platform. Regardless of the risks, Todd is out and proud and wants to speak up about "the institutional transphobia that causes a lot of real, tangible hardships" in her community. 2025 is the fifth year in a row that a record-breaking number of anti-transgender laws are being considered and passed, many of them pertaining to restricting access to healthcare, per the Trans Legislation Tracker. It's important to Todd to explain to the public why she prioritizes her gender transition alongside all her other hardships. "A lot of my complications go above and beyond just being trans and poor in a red state," Todd said. She said there's the constant trauma she experienced alongside her peers, of being rejected and shunned by family members and a transphobic society. "Getting gender affirming care, at the bare minimum, alleviates some of that. Which allows us to feel a little bit of euphoria, a little bit of peace, so that we can live in a hostile environment," Todd said. jdeng@
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Healthcare providers can deny care that conflicts with conscience under new Tennessee law
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Governor Bill Lee signed into law the Medical Ethics Defense Act, which lets healthcare practitioners refuse to perform or pay for a procedure or prescription that goes against their personal morals, ethics, or religious beliefs. The legislation, which applies to medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and insurance companies, immediately went into effect with Gov. Lee's signature. The House sponsor, Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro), a physician himself, told lawmakers the measure protects healthcare providers from 'moral injury,' which he said is contributing to the physician shortage in Tennessee. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → 'Patients and providers have rights. Providers should not give up their rights to best serve their patients' [rights],' Rep. Terry said. 'Patients need to know that our doctors are advocating for them with a clear conscience.' Dr. Jonathan Shaw, an OBGYN in TN, testified in the House Health Committee he was nearly forced out of his previous practice in the Northeast because he refused to announce his pronouns to his patients, a policy against his personal beliefs. 'I used the term 'conscientious objection' to describe my position on the practice of being forced to announce my own pronouns, but this was seen as a barrier to patient care. The ability to do my job was called into question, and human resources were consulted,' Dr. Shaw said. 'The implication was clear: conscience needs to be limited or consider an alternative career path. I decided to look for a job elsewhere.' Dr. Shaw said he was drawn to TN because of the state's 'common-sense policies which preserve the freedom to be guided by conscience as a physician.' However, Dr. Amy Gordon Bono, a TN primary care physician, argued the measure goes against the Hippocratic Oath, which requires doctors to prioritize their patients' well-being. 'When legislation is not patient-centered, it's morally compromised to begin with,' Dr. Bono said. 'Politicians need to stop dictating medical care, and this bill allows politicians to take their intrusive efforts even further to dictate medical conscience. In my opinion and the way I like to practice medicine is to honor the patient first. That's where my conscience lies.' The conscience clause does not apply in emergency situations, or if an insurance provider is contractually obligated to cover the cost of a specific treatment. However, some lawmakers expressed concern that a doctor could still use their beliefs to dictate the type of care they provide during emergency situations, including when it comes to abortions. 'We're not talking about an elective abortion. We're talking about a lady coming in, and this pregnancy puts her life in immediate danger,' Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville) said. ⏩ 'There are doctors who practice medicine consistent with a pro-life worldview in which an abortion is never medically necessary, and there are procedures available to treat a woman in that kind of circumstance without having to perform an elective abortion,' said Erica Steinmiller-Perdomo, an attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), an out-of-state interest group that backed the bill. According to ADF, eight other states have similar conscience clause laws, which are rarely used and have never been challenged in court. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Brad Little signs bill to let Idaho doctors refuse care if it violates beliefs
Idaho Gov. Brad Little (center) walks with the delegation of legislators, including House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian, (left) and Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, (right) selected to escort him to the House chamber to give his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025 at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill that prevents health care professionals and entities from being forced to participate in nonemergency procedures that would violate their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. Sen. Carl Bjerke, R-Coeur d'Alene, and Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, co-sponsored House Bill 59, dubbed the Medical Ethics Defense Act. The bill takes effect immediately, through an emergency clause. Little signed the bill into law Wednesday, according to the governor's office legislation tracker. The Idaho Legislature widely passed the bill on party-line votes, with opposition from all 15 Democratic lawmakers and support from all 86 Republican lawmakers who were present for votes on the bill. (There are 90 Idaho Republican lawmakers.) 'Health care providers shall have the right of conscience and, pursuant to this right, shall not be required to participate in or pay for a medical procedure, treatment, or service that violates such health care provider's conscience,' the bill states. Bjerke has said the bill was patterned after a law passed in 2024, through Senate Bill 1352, which allowed counselors and therapists to refuse counseling clients in support of goals, outcomes or behaviors that violate their sincerely held religious beliefs. 'This proposed legislation is intended to protect conscience rights of health care professionals and health care entities. It protects them from being forced to participate in non-emergency procedures that would violate their sincerely held religious moral or ethical beliefs,' Bjerke told the Idaho Senate. Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, who opposed the bill, said the bill fundamentally confuses the relationship between personal conscience and professional duty. Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates Idaho's director Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman asked Little to veto the bill, saying 'it gives health care workers a license to discriminate.' The bill 'will undermine medical standards, put patients' lives at risk, and create legal chaos for Idaho's entire health care system,' DelliCarpini-Tolman said in a written statement. 'No one should be denied care because of someone else's personal beliefs. Health care must be driven by medical expertise, not ideology.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Idaho Senate says health workers shouldn't have to violate religious beliefs to provide care
Idaho state Sen. Carl Bjerke, R-Coeur d'Alene, (right) listens to proceedings during the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee meeting on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) The Idaho Senate voted along party lines Monday to pass a bill that prevents health care professionals and entities from being forced to participate in nonemergency procedures that would violate their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. Sen. Carl Bjerke, R-Coeur d'Alene, and Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, co-sponsored House Bill 59, which they named the Medical Ethics Defense Act. The bill states, in part: 'Health care providers shall have the right of conscience and, pursuant to this right, shall not be required to participate in or pay for a medical procedure, treatment, or service that violates such health care provider's conscience.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Bjerke said the bill was patterned after a law passed during the 2024 legislative session, Senate Bill 1352, which states that counselors and therapists are not required to counsel clients in support of goals, outcomes or behaviors that violate their sincerely held religious beliefs. Bjerke told senators Monday his new bill would apply many of the same principles from last year's counselors bill and apply it to health care professionals. 'This proposed legislation is intended to protect conscience rights of health care professionals and health care entities. It protects them from being forced to participate in non-emergency procedures that would violate their sincerely held religious moral or ethical beliefs,' Bjerke said. On the other hand, Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, said the bill fundamentally confuses the relationship between personal conscience and professional duty. 'This bill, in its current form, I believe, would transform Idaho's health care system from one based on patient needs to one based more on provider preferences,' Taylor said. 'It would allow any health care provider, any worker, any ambulance operator, hospital employee or health care payer, the ability to deny anyone medical care based on claiming an objection due to their conscience.' CONTACT US If passed into law, Taylor worried the bill would allow ambulance drivers to object to transporting a patient if the patient did something to offend them, or a hospital staffer could refuse to admit a pregnant woman suffering a miscarriage if the staffer opposed abortion, or a pharmacist could refuse to prescribe vaccines or antidepressants if it violated their personal beliefs. In the end, the Senate voted 28-6 to pass the bill. All Senate Republicans voted in favor of it, while all six Senate Democrats voted against it. The Idaho House of Representatives already voted 58-11 to pass the bill Feb. 11, but since then the Idaho Senate amended the bill. House Bill 59 now heads back to the Idaho House for House members to consider whether to agree with the Senate amendment. If the Idaho House agrees with the amendment, the bill would be sent to Gov. Brad Little for final consideration. If the bill reaches Little's desk, he could sign it into law, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature. If the bill is passed into law, it would take effect immediately upon being signed into law. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
