• Health Care & Health Insurance
• Insurance

This bill requires all health insurance plans issued or renewed in Colorado to cover gender-affirming health care when deemed medically necessary, and exempts testosterone prescriptions from certain state monitoring programs. It affirms non-discrimination in insurance coverage and aims to protect patient privacy, especially for transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

Key Provisions by Section

SECTION 1: Mandatory Insurance Coverage (C.R.S. § 10-16-104)

• Definition of Gender-Affirming Health Care:
  Includes a broad range of services for treating gender dysphoria, such as:
• Hormone therapy
• Surgical procedures (facial, chest, and genital)
• Mental and behavioral health support
• Cosmetic and reconstructive procedures if tied to gender-affirming care
• Definition of “Medically Necessary”:
  A licensed physical or behavioral health care provider determines that a specific service is needed to treat gender dysphoria.
• Coverage Mandate:
  Health insurance plans must cover gender-affirming care without regard to the patient's sex or gender.
• Restrictions Prohibited:
  Insurers may not deny or limit coverage if:
• The care is medically necessary, and
• It aligns with accepted medical standards of care.
• Rulemaking Authority:
  The Commissioner of Insurance must create rules to implement and enforce this coverage mandate.

SECTION 2–3: Exemption from Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (C.R.S. § 12-280-403 & -404)

• Testosterone Exemption:
  Prescriptions for testosterone will:
• Not be tracked under Colorado’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)
• Have existing records blocked from view
• This aims to protect patient privacy and avoid misuse of testosterone data in monitoring programs often associated with controlled substances or opioid oversight.

SECTION 4: Safety Clause

• Declares the bill urgently necessary for public peace, health, and safety—allowing it to take effect without delay, unless challenged by referendum.

Summary

HB25-1309 requires Colorado health insurers to fully cover medically necessary gender-affirming care and protects privacy around testosterone prescriptions. It reinforces access to a wide range of gender-related services and blocks practices that might otherwise discriminate against transgender individuals or limit their access to healthcare. This bill aligns Colorado law with inclusive, medically accepted standards of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria.

Under current law, health benefit insurance plans (health benefit
plans) include coverage for gender-affirming health care as part of
individual and group health benefit plans. Gender-affirming health care
is defined in the bill as supplies, care, and services of a medical,
behavioral health, mental health, psychiatric, habilitative, surgical,
therapeutic, diagnostic, preventive, rehabilitative, or supportive nature
relating to the treatment of gender dysphoria (gender-affirming health
care). The bill codifies gender-affirming health care treatments in statute
and prohibits a health benefit plan from denying or limiting medically
necessary gender-affirming health care, as determined and prescribed by
a physical or behavioral health-care provider (health-care provider).
In addition, the bill exempts prescriptions for testosterone from the
tracking requirements of the prescription drug use monitoring program
and blocks archived records from view.

• May 01, 2025: Senate Health & Human Services Committee Report
• April 02, 2025: House Health & Human Services Committee Report

• Past bill versions
• Past fiscal notes
• Committee activity and documents
• Bill History