Healthcare Laws and Policies
Insurance nondiscrimination laws and policies protect LGBTQ people from being unfairly denied health insurance coverage or from being unfairly excluded from coverage for certain health care procedures on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This map reflects laws and policies that bar health insurers from explicitly refusing to cover transgender-related health care benefits and those that explicitly permit insurers to refuse to cover gender-affirming care.
Health insurers are prohibited from excluding coverage of medically necessary care for transgender people
(24 states + D.C.)
Law prohibits health insurance discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
(15 states + 1 territory + D.C.)
Law prohibits health insurance discrimination based on gender identity only
(8 states)
No law regarding health insurance discrimination for LGBTQ people
(25 states + 4 territories)
Law explicitly permits health insurers to refuse to cover medically necessary care for transgender people
(2 states)
*In Mississippi, state law explicitly allows private insurers to refuse to cover gender-affirming care for minors, as part of its statewide ban on best practice medical care for transgender youth. Arkansas law allows this refusal of coverage for gender-affirming care for everyone, regardless of age. For more information about this and every state, click “Citations & More Information” beneath the map legend.
Recommended citation:
Movement Advancement Project. “Equality Maps: Healthcare Laws and Policies.” https://mapresearch.org/equality-map/healthcare-laws-and-policies/#private-insurance. Accessed June 12, 2026.
Percent of LGBTQ Population (Ages 13+) Covered by Laws
*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ population (ages 13+) living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here. Population estimates are from UCLA’s The Williams Institute.
54%
54% of transgender people (ages 13+) live in states where insurers are prohibited from excluding medically necessary care for transgender people
39%
39% of LGBTQ people (ages 13+) live in states that prohibit health insurance discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
15%
15% of LGBTQ people (ages 13+) live in states that prohibit health insurance discrimination based on gender identity only
45%
45% of LGBTQ people (ages 13+) live in states with no law regarding health insurance discrimination
2%
2% of LGBTQ people (ages 13+) live in states that explicitly allow insurers to refuse to cover medically necessary care for transgender people
This map reflects state laws or administrative policies which explicitly include, explicitly exclude, or have no clear policy covering transition-related or gender-affirming care for transgender people who are state employees as part of their state employee health benefits.
State explicitly includes gender-affirming care in its state employee health benefits
(24 states + D.C.)
State does not mention or has no clear policy regarding gender-affirming care in its state employee health benefits
(12 states + 5 territories)
State explicitly excludes gender-affirming care from its state employee health benefits
(14 states)
*Note that some states that cover transgender-related medical care may require preauthorization or pre-approval for receiving it.
Recommended citation:
Movement Advancement Project. 2026. “Equality Maps: Healthcare Laws and Policies.” https://mapresearch.org/equality-map/healthcare-laws-and-policies/. Data as of June 12, 2026.
Movement Advancement Project. 2026. “Equality Maps: Healthcare Laws and Policies.” https://mapresearch.org/equality-map/healthcare-laws-and-policies/. Data as of June 12, 2026.
Percent of Adult LGBTQ Population Covered by Laws
*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ adult population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here.
55%
55% of the LGBTQ population lives in states that explicitly include gender-affirming care in its state employee health benefits
18%
18% of LGBTQ population lives in states that do not mention or has no clear policy regarding gender-affirming care in its state employee health benefits
27%
27% of LGBTQ population lives in states explicitly exclude gender-affirming care from its state employee health benefits
key
Law covers sexual orientation
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
Policy includes transgender health care
Policy excludes transgender health care
| State | Private Insurance Nondiscrimination | Transgender Inclusive Health Benefits for State Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Citation | Citation | |
| Alabama |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
|
| Alaska |
|
|
| American Samoa |
|
|
| Arizona |
|
|
| Arkansas |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| California |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Colorado |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
|
| Connecticut |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Delaware |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| District of Columbia |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Florida |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Georgia |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Guam |
|
|
| Hawaii |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Idaho |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Illinois |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Indiana |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Iowa |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
|
| Kansas |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Kentucky |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Louisiana |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Maine |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Maryland |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Massachusetts |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Michigan |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
|
| Minnesota |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Mississippi |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Missouri |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
|
| Montana |
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Nebraska |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Nevada |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| New Hampshire |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| New Jersey |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| New Mexico |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
|
| New York |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| North Carolina |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| North Dakota |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Northern Mariana Islands |
|
|
| Ohio |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Oklahoma |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Oregon |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Pennsylvania |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Puerto Rico |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
|
| Rhode Island |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| South Carolina |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| South Dakota |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Tennessee |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Texas |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| U.S. Virgin Islands |
|
|
| Utah |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
Policy excludes transgender heath care
|
| Vermont |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
|
| Virginia |
Law covers gender identity
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
|
| Washington |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| West Virginia |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
|
| Wisconsin |
Law covers sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
Bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care
|
Policy includes transgender health care
|
| Wyoming |
Bans best practice medical care for transgender youth
|
|
