Text of US HB 1981 (2019)

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1981 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit payments under the Medicaid program for conversion therapy, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 28, 2019 Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York (for himself, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. NORTON, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. CRIST, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. COHEN, Mr. KILMER, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. GOMEZ, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. RYAN, Mr. CICILLINE, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. TONKO, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Ms. ROY- BAL-ALLARD, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. POCAN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. TITUS, Mrs. TORRES of California, Mr. HIMES, Mr. RUSH, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. KILDEE, Mrs. CRAIG, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. PETERS, Ms. OMAR, Ms. WEXTON, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. NADLER, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. WILD, Mr. HECK, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. PANETTA, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, and Mr. BROWN of Maryland) introduced the fol- lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com- merce A BILL To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit payments under the Medicaid program for conversion therapy, and for other purposes. VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:35 Apr 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1981.IH H1981 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 1981 IH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prohibition of Med- 4 icaid Funding for Conversion Therapy Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON MEDICAID PAYMENTS FOR CON- 6 VERSION THERAPY. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1902 of the Social Secu- 8 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) is amended— 9 (1) in subsection (a)— 10 (A) in paragraph (85), by striking ‘‘and’’ 11 at the end; 12 (B) in paragraph (86), by striking the pe- 13 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 14 (C) by inserting after paragraph (86) the 15 following new paragraph: 16 ‘‘(87) provide that, beginning with the first day 17 of the first quarter that begins on or after the date 18 of enactment of this paragraph, no payment may be 19 made under the plan with respect to conversion ther- 20 apy (as defined in subsection (qq)) furnished to an 21 individual enrolled under the plan (or a waiver of 22 such plan).’’; and 23 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub- 24 section: 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:35 Apr 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1981.IH H1981 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 1981 IH ‘‘(qq) CONVERSION THERAPY; GENDER IDENTITY; 1 PERSON; SEXUAL ORIENTATION.—For purposes of sub- 2 section (a)(87) and this subsection: 3 ‘‘(1) CONVERSION THERAPY.—The term ‘con- 4 version therapy’— 5 ‘‘(A) means any practice or treatment by 6 any person that seeks to change another indi- 7 vidual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, 8 including efforts to change behaviors or gender 9 expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or 10 romantic attractions or feelings toward individ- 11 uals of the same gender, if such person receives 12 monetary compensation in exchange for any 13 such practice or treatment; and 14 ‘‘(B) does not include any practice or 15 treatment, which does not seek to change sexual 16 orientation or gender identity, that— 17 ‘‘(i) provides assistance to an indi- 18 vidual undergoing a gender transition; or 19 ‘‘(ii) provides acceptance, support, 20 and understanding of a client or facilita- 21 tion of a client’s coping, social support, 22 and identity exploration and development, 23 including sexual orientation-neutral inter- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:35 Apr 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1981.IH H1981 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 1981 IH ventions to prevent or address unlawful 1 conduct or unsafe sexual practices. 2 ‘‘(2) GENDER IDENTITY.—The term ‘gender 3 identity’ means the gender-related identity, appear- 4 ance, mannerisms, or other gender-related character- 5 istics of an individual, regardless of the individual’s 6 designated sex at birth. 7 ‘‘(3) PERSON.—The term ‘person’ means any 8 individual, partnership, corporation, cooperative, as- 9 sociation, or any other entity. 10 ‘‘(4) SEXUAL ORIENTATION.—The term ‘sexual 11 orientation’ means homosexuality, heterosexuality, or 12 bisexuality.’’. 13 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1903(i) of 14 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(i)) is amended 15 by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new para- 16 graph: 17 ‘‘(9) with respect to any amount expended for 18 conversion therapy (as defined in section 1902(qq)) 19 on or after the date described in section 20 1902(a)(87); or’’. 21 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:35 Apr 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1981.IH H1981 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS