WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unveiled new regulations aimed at effectively banning gender-affirming care for minors, expanding upon previous restrictions implemented during the Trump administration.
The proposed changes aim to restrict access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical procedures for transgender children. Central to these proposals is the cutting of federal Medicaid and Medicare funding for hospitals that provide gender-affirming treatments to minors, creating significant barriers for healthcare access.
Currently, more than half of U.S. states have various bans or restrictions on gender-affirming care. However, the new federal rules could threaten coverage in almost two dozen states where such treatments are still funded by Medicaid.
Though these proposals are being announced by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his team, they are not yet final or legally binding. The federal government will need to go through a lengthy rule-making process that includes public comments and potential revisions before these regulations become permanent. Legal challenges to the proposals are likely, as they've been met with criticism from various healthcare advocates.
The plan has already caused hesitation among healthcare providers, many of whom have started to cease offering gender-affirming care to minors in anticipation of these new federal guidelines. Nearly all U.S. hospitals participate in Medicare and Medicaid, federal programs that provide essential healthcare coverage for seniors, the disabled, and low-income families. The loss of these funding streams could drastically impact hospital operations nationwide.
In addition, the proposed restrictions may also apply to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, thereby affecting even more families.
Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, have opposed these measures, emphasizing that they negate the recommendations for gender dysphoria care.
Young individuals who identify with a gender different from their sex assigned at birth typically receive thorough evaluations from a dedicated healthcare team and may undergo various interventions to support their mental and physical well-being.
Your voice matters in this ongoing debate about healthcare rights for transgender youth, as advocates warn that these regulations undermine crucial medical care.
Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen of The Trevor Project criticized the regulations as a "one-size-fits-all mandate from the federal government," stating that care decisions should be made between healthcare providers and patients.
