Key facts
- Medicaid will cease funding gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatments for transgender minors.
- The policy change is effective October 13.
- Mental health treatment for transgender minors will continue to be covered.
- Existing hormone treatment coverage will be phased out by April 2027.
- President Trump directed CMS administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to implement the change.
The Trump administration announced that Medicaid and the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will stop paying for gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatments for transgender minors, with the policy set to take effect on October 13. While mental health treatment for transgender minors will continue to be covered, hormone treatments used for puberty blocking and physical changes will be phased out by April 2027 for those currently receiving them.
President Trump stated on social media that he directed Dr. Mehmet Oz, the CMS administrator, to make the change, citing concerns about irreversible harm to children. Advocates for LGBTQ+ youth, however, view the policy as a barrier to essential medical care and have vowed legal challenges. Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson called the administration's actions "terrorizing trans youth and their families."
This policy follows a series of actions by the administration targeting transgender individuals, including efforts to bar gender-affirming care coverage under federal employee benefit plans, block transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports, and restrict sex designation options on passports. The American Medical Association and most major medical organizations support access to gender-affirming care, though the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has expressed concerns about the risks versus benefits of surgeries on minors.
Many of the administration's policies have faced legal challenges, with mixed outcomes. The Supreme Court allowed the passport policy to stand and permitted states to enforce sports bans, while a lower court ruled against the administration's stance on the safety and effectiveness of these treatments. A challenge regarding funding for hospitals providing gender-affirming care is still pending.