12/3/13 Petition | NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NYS Health Department Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah: Stop excluding trans and gender non conforming peo…

www.change.org/petitions/ny-governor-andrew-m-cuomo-and-nys-health-department-commissioner-dr-nirav-shah-stop-excluding-trans-and-gender-non-confor… 1/6

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Recent signatures

Anthony Patterson ASTORIA, NY NEW YORK

Petitioning Andrew M. Cuomo

This petition will be delivered to:

Governor of New York State

Andrew M. Cuomo

NYS Health Department Commissioner

Dr. Nirav Shah

NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NYSHealth Department Commissioner Dr. NiravShah: Stop excluding trans and gender nonconforming people from receiving safe andaffordable healthcare!

12/3/13 Petition | NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NYS Health Department Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah: Stop excluding trans and gender non conforming peo…

www.change.org/petitions/ny-governor-andrew-m-cuomo-and-nys-health-department-commissioner-dr-nirav-shah-stop-excluding-trans-and-gender-non-confor… 2/6

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YOU

YOUR

FRIENDS

170avg.

THEIRFRIENDS

10,000approx.

As a transgender woman working in New York City, I've never had healthcare coverage that met my basic

needs. I've had to pay most of my medical expenses out of pocket because most health insurance policies andprograms, including New York State Medicaid, specifically exclude transgender people like me from accessingcare. This doesn't have to be the case for other trans and gender non-conforming New Yorkers, especially those

15m

Elise Harris NEW YORK, NY NEW YORK

1h

Nicole Stern WINSTON-SALEM, NC NORTH CAROLINA

1h

Kate Filmore ASTORIA, NY NEW YORK

1h

Amy Herzog BROOKLYN, NY NEW YORK

1h

Cory Clark ATLANTA, GA GEORGIA

2h

Peter Finlon BROOKLYN, NY NEW YORK

3h

Axel Jensen NEW YORK, NY NEW YORK

3h

Bo Reed BROOKLYN, NY NEW YORK

3h

Esther Plotz-Pierce NEW YORK, NY NEW YORK

3h

1. 1.

2. Petition by

Reina Gossett

New York, NY

12/3/13 Petition | NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NYS Health Department Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah: Stop excluding trans and gender non conforming peo…

www.change.org/petitions/ny-governor-andrew-m-cuomo-and-nys-health-department-commissioner-dr-nirav-shah-stop-excluding-trans-and-gender-non-confor… 3/6

who are low-income and qualify for Medicaid.

That's why I'm calling on New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New York State Health Commissioner

Nirav R. Shah to repeal New York State Medicaid's regulation excluding transgender people from accessingcare. Medicaid is meant to ensure that low-income people have the care they need to survive, and no one should

be denied that just because of who they are.

Healthcare for transgender people isn’t special healthcare. It's regular healthcare that non-trans people receiveevery day when they need it. Transgender health treatments are safe, effective and medically necessary for many

transgender people. Unfortunately, healthcare is often denied to trans people due to misinformation and bias. Byrepealing the exclusionary regulation, Gov. Cuomo and Health Commissioner Shah can ensure that transgender

people receiving Medicaid have the same access to essential care as anyone else.

As the National Center For Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian TaskForce found: transgender people live in poverty at 4 times the national average, a staggering 19% of transgender

people report lacking any form of health insurance, including Medicaid.

The truth is that covering trans healthcare is affordable through insurance plans. As Basic Rights Oregon pointsout: No jurisdiction, employer or insurance company which covers trans health care has found the cost to beprohibitive. in 2011 the city of portland determined that the cost increase was only .08% of its healthcare

insurance budget. Multnomah County has seen low utlilization since 2001, The city and county of San Franciscohave provided comprehensive coverage for years with research showing no discernible cost.

So please join me and help make sure that low-income transgender people in New York have access to this

care under Medicaid.

TAKE ACTION:

Tell NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo and NYS Health Commissioner Shah its time for trans and gender nonconforming people New Yorkers have the healthcare we need!

To:

Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of New York State Dr. Nirav Shah, NYS Health Department Commissioner Stop excluding trans and gender non conforming people from receiving safe and affordable healthcare .

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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12/3/13 Petition | NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NYS Health Department Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah: Stop excluding trans and gender non conforming peo…

www.change.org/petitions/ny-governor-andrew-m-cuomo-and-nys-health-department-commissioner-dr-nirav-shah-stop-excluding-trans-and-gender-non-confor… 4/6

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Esther Plotz-Pierce NEW YORK, NY

about 2 hours ago

Liked 0

For my dear friends who deserve so much better.

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Tina Janis OXFORD, GA

1 day ago

Liked 0

I am a nurse and it is important to me to see ALL people receive the healthcare they need without bias.

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Alisa Swindell ST LOUIS, MO

2 days agoLiked 0

Healthcare is something that needs to be available to everyone. This is far more important than being ableto marry.

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Michelle Wexelblat CHELMSFORD, MA

3 days ago

Liked 0

I am a therapist who works with people of all genders and they deserve gender affirming medical care.

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Keith Macdonald SAN JOSE, CA

12/3/13 Petition | NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NYS Health Department Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah: Stop excluding trans and gender non conforming peo…

www.change.org/petitions/ny-governor-andrew-m-cuomo-and-nys-health-department-commissioner-dr-nirav-shah-stop-excluding-trans-and-gender-non-confor… 5/6

4 days ago

Liked 0

This is important to me because I am transgender and I can empathize with how excruciatingly difficult it is

it is to live without treatment.

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Esther Plotz-Pierce NEW YORK, NY

about 2 hours agoLiked 0

For my dear friends who deserve so much better.

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Tina Janis OXFORD, GA1 day ago

Liked 0

I am a nurse and it is important to me to see ALL people receive the healthcare they need without bias.

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Alisa Swindell ST LOUIS, MO

2 days ago

Liked 0

Healthcare is something that needs to be available to everyone. This is far more important than being able

to marry.

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12/3/13 Petition | NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NYS Health Department Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah: Stop excluding trans and gender non conforming peo…

www.change.org/petitions/ny-governor-andrew-m-cuomo-and-nys-health-department-commissioner-dr-nirav-shah-stop-excluding-trans-and-gender-non-confor… 6/6

Michelle Wexelblat CHELMSFORD, MA

3 days ago

Liked 0

I am a therapist who works with people of all genders and they deserve gender affirming medical care.

REPORT THIS COMMENT:

This comment is inappropriate

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Keith Macdonald SAN JOSE, CA

4 days agoLiked 0

This is important to me because I am transgender and I can empathize with how excruciatingly difficult it isit is to live without treatment.

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