CMS Cuts Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity Questions from Medicare Enrollment Forms

By Mary Helen Gillespie

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to remove voluntary questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity from specific Medicare enrollment forms, following President Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to eliminate references to “gender ideology.” STAT reported Feb. 12 that these questions, introduced during the recent open enrollment period, aimed to enhance CMS’s understanding of the diverse Medicare population and address health disparities. Medicare beneficiaries use those forms to sign up for Medicare Advantage plans, prescription drug plans and a specific program that helps low-income people afford drugs. The CMS decision aligns with actions by other federal agencies. A recent judicial ruling has mandated the restoration of such information across federal government websites.