If you’re trans or gender-diverse and living in Florida, you’ve probably had to spend more time than you’d like trying to access gender-affirming care, especially gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT or HRT). The laws keep changing. The headlines are overwhelming. And it’s not always clear what your options are. Let’s break down what the current law says and how telehealth options, such as Plume Clinic, can still support you in getting the care you need and deserve.
Where Things Stand Now
On August 26, 2024, a federal appeals court allowed Florida to begin enforcing some of the most restrictive anti-trans healthcare laws in the country while legal challenges continue. This means the state can now enforce SB 254, a law that places new limits on how and who can access gender-affirming care.
The law creates several new restrictions that affect both adults and youth. Here’s a quick overview of what the law does for folks seeking GAHT in Florida:
Requires in-person consent appointments for adults.
If you’re starting or continuing gender-affirming hormone therapy, you must sign an informed consent form in person with the provider who will be prescribing your gender-affirming care medications.
Limits who can prescribe GAHT.
Only physicians, either a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) licensed in Florida, can prescribe or manage gender-affirming care.
Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), and Physician Assistants (PAs) are no longer allowed to provide this care under Florida law. This is a huge shift: before this law went into effect, 80% of trans adults in Florida were receiving care from these providers.
Join thousands of trans and non-binary Floridians getting expert gender-affirming care with Plume Clinic.
What SB 254 Does Not Do
There’s been a lot of fear and confusion around what this law means, especially for trans youth and families. Here’s what SB 254 doesn’t do:
- It does not authorize the state to investigate or separate families who support their trans children.
- It does not cut off trans teens who are already receiving hormone therapy or blockers.
- It does not ban telehealth outright, but it does require that informed consent be signed in person.
- It does not stop private health insurance from covering gender-affirming care if it’s already part of your plan.
How to Start Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) via Telehealth in Florida
Even with Florida’s new restrictions, it’s still possible for adults to start or continue GAHT, including through telehealth. Here’s how to do that with Plume Clinic:
Step 1: Fill out a brief intake form
Start by completing the Get Started form on Plume Clinic’s website. This lets us know you’re interested in GAHT and gives us the info we need to help guide your care.
Step 2: Complete your online intake and schedule your virtual consult
After filling out the form, you’ll get access to a private dashboard with instructions on how to complete your medical history and schedule a virtual consultation. This consultation is a virtual session and is an opportunity to talk with a licensed medical provider about your goals and questions. It’s not the in-person visit required by Florida law.
Step 3: Schedule your in-person consent appointment
After your virtual consultation, we’ll help you book an in-person appointment with one of our Florida-licensed MDs or DOs. During this visit, you’ll complete the state-required informed consent form that allows your provider to prescribe GAHT. Our Care Team will be available in person across Florida on a monthly basis to help guide you through the consent form signing process.
Step 4: Begin telehealth care
Once you’ve signed your in-person consent form with your prescribing provider, you can start or resume hormone therapy. All follow-up care—prescription management, lab orders, questions, dose adjustments, and more—will continue through telehealth, with the same doctor you met in person. If your provider changes, you’ll need to complete a new in-person consent.
The Bottom Line
These laws are designed to make it harder to be trans in Florida. They put up roadblocks, slow down care, and make people feel alone. But you’re not alone, and care is still possible.
Plume Clinic strongly opposes the restrictions put in place by SB 254. Gender-affirming care is medically necessary and supported by every major medical association in the U.S. We believe everyone deserves access to care that affirms who they are, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure trans people in Florida can still get that care.
At Plume Clinic, we’re committed to helping you get the care you need, on your terms. That includes navigating these legal hurdles alongside you with transparency, compassion, and respect for who you are.
We’ll keep showing up. We’ll keep providing care. And we’ll keep fighting for a future where these restrictions no longer exist.
If you have questions, need help resuming your care, or just want to talk through your options, we’re here for you! Reach us anytime at hello@getplume.co.
