Trump Admin Ends Medicaid Funding For Sex-Change Procedures On Kids
The Trump administration announced Tuesday that Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program will no longer pay for sex-change procedures for minors, ending the use of federal taxpayer dollars for treatments officials say carry potentially irreversible health risks without sufficient evidence of clinical benefit.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the new rule applies to puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and sex-change surgeries for children. Mental health treatment for gender dysphoria and other conditions will remain eligible for coverage under Medicaid and CHIP.
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the policy reflects the administration’s effort to protect children from medical interventions whose long-term effects remain uncertain.
“Children deserve our protection, not experimental interventions that pose serious risks and convey no proven benefits,” Oz said.
“By cutting off federal funds for these sex-rejecting procedures, we’re following the science, saving taxpayer dollars, and, most importantly, protecting children from potentially irreversible harm so they can truly flourish.”
The decision marks a significant reversal of federal policy on transgender medical procedures for minors and follows years of conservative opposition to using taxpayer money to finance medical transitions for children.
The Department of Health and Human Services said the affected procedures can cause lasting consequences, including infertility, impaired sexual function, reduced bone density and other physiological effects.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration’s decision followed a review of domestic and international research into medical interventions for minors experiencing gender dysphoria.
“Today, we are ending federal taxpayer funding for sex-rejecting procedures on children,” Kennedy said.
“These interventions carry serious risks and can cause irreversible harm.”
The administration said its review found substantial gaps in the evidence supporting the treatments, along with safety concerns that officials concluded did not justify continued taxpayer funding.
CMS cited the United Kingdom’s Cass Review as part of the evidence underlying its decision. The independent review, led by Dr. Hilary Cass and published in 2024, found limited evidence concerning the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors and concluded that medical practices had developed faster than the supporting evidence base.
“The Trump Administration is drawing a clear line: America’s children will not be subjected to life-altering interventions on the taxpayer’s dime without reliable evidence of safety and clinical benefit,” HHS Press Secretary Emily Hilliard said.
The funding restrictions will not take effect immediately for children already receiving hormone treatments. CMS will provide a six-month transition period after the rule takes effect, allowing Medicaid and CHIP funding for existing hormone treatments to be gradually phased out.
The policy represents the administration’s latest effort to restrict federal support for medical gender transitions involving minors while preserving coverage for mental health care.