Judge strikes down Florida Medicaid policy excluding gender-affirming care

A Florida rule excluding gender-affirming health care from Medicaid coverage is unlawful and unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, adding that the policy, which was enacted last year under the administration of Republican Gov. and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, is based on politics rather than medicine.

Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), which controls most of the state’s Medicaid program, in August adopted a rule barring trans...