We need your voice—now—to protect access to gender affirming care.
Unless federal telehealth prescribing flexibilities are extended before January 1st, transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people who access testosterone through telehealth will lose that access. This change would require in-person visits—a rollback with devastating consequences for TGD communities. QueerDoc has a plan to support our current patients, but needs your help for long-term solutions.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, clinicians were allowed to prescribe controlled substances like testosterone via telehealth. That flexibility is set to expire at the end of 2024 unless Congress takes action.
This rollback would disproportionately harm TGD patients—especially those in rural and underserved areas—as well as people managing ADHD, depression, and substance use disorders.
📊 According to Stanford and Rock Health:
- 90% of trans patients accessed telehealth in the past year
- Compared to just 46% of cis patients
🧠 Take Action
Whether you’re a clinician or a community member, we need your voice.
1️⃣ Contact Your Legislators
📞 Call or email your state and federal legislators today to urge them to support the extension of telehealth prescribing for controlled substances.
👉 Find out how to contact your legislators
2️⃣ Use These Templates
📝 Clinician Template
Dear [Representative/Senator] [Last Name],
I’m writing as a healthcare provider who delivers gender affirming care to transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients across [Your State]. I want to urgently raise concern about the upcoming expiration of federal telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances—set to end on January 1st, 2025 unless immediate action is taken.
These flexibilities have been critical for ensuring safe, consistent access to testosterone, a medically necessary treatment for many TGD individuals. If allowed to expire, clinicians will be prohibited from prescribing testosterone via telehealth, even for established patients. This is particularly harmful for patients in rural and underserved areas, where in-person affirming care is either unavailable or unsafe due to stigma and discrimination.
Research from Stanford University and Rock Health shows that 90% of transgender patients accessed telehealth in the past year, compared to just 46% of cisgender patients. This disparity reflects both the importance of telehealth to TGD communities and the systemic inequities in healthcare access. [Consider adding a personal story about a patient who would be impacted with no PHI]
The proposed rollback doesn’t just affect TGD people—it also threatens access for those managing ADHD, depression, and substance use disorders, especially in areas with limited behavioral health infrastructure.
I urge you to support extending these telehealth prescribing flexibilities until a long-term solution is enacted. This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about health equity, patient safety, and ensuring continuity of care for systemically undervalued communities.
I am happy to provide further information or testimony on this issue. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
With urgency and gratitude,
[Your Name]
[Your Credentials and Title]
[Your Organization, if applicable]
[Your City, State]
📝 Community Member Template
Dear [Representative/Senator] [Last Name],
I am writing to urge you to protect access to life-saving telehealth care by extending telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances.
I, or someone I care about, relies on telehealth to access necessary treatment like testosterone. Losing this access would mean traveling hours to an in-person appointment, missing school or work, and potentially going without care altogether.
Trans and gender diverse people deserve access to safe, affirming healthcare. Please act now to support health equity and extend these telehealth flexibilities.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City, State]
📣 Share This
Please forward this post to your networks. Urge your organization to sign on to advocacy letters, and keep speaking up for TGD health equity.
Let’s ensure that every trans and gender diverse person retains access to the care they need and deserve.