Trump Administration Ends Medicaid Funding for Minors' Gender Transition Surgeries

The Trump administration announced that it will no longer fund gender transition surgeries for minors through Medicaid, as stated by President Donald Trump on Tuesday. In a post on Truth Social, Trump directed Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to cease funding these procedures. Trump described the surgeries as harmful to children, stating, "We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies." This announcement follows CMS's plan to implement a rule ending federal Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical operations, which the CMS claims can lead to irreversible damage. Oz supported the decision, emphasizing the need to protect children from experimental interventions. The rule is set to take effect on October 13 and will not impact mental health service coverage. The decision follows a review by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that identified significant evidence gaps and safety concerns regarding these interventions for minors. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 27 states have enacted restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors. The announcement has drawn mixed reactions, with Republican lawmakers supporting the restrictions and many Democrats opposing them as attacks on transgender individuals.