The Trump administration rolled out sweeping new rules on Thursday to defund hospitals that perform transgender procedures on children and penalize doctors who provide them. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will bar any hospital offering these procedures to minors from participating in Medicare and Medicaid.
This action effectively blocks federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) if it is used for gender-transition services for those under 19. An HHS official stated the move ensures the government "will not be in business with organizations that intentionally or unintentionally inflict permanent harm on children."
The regulations follow an HHS review that found "sex-rejecting procedures" cause irreversible damage, including infertility and diminished bone density. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed a declaration stating that professionals performing these procedures are out of compliance with recognized healthcare standards.
Furthering the crackdown, the FDA issued warning letters to 12 manufacturers regarding the "illegal marketing of breast binders to children." The agency informed these companies they must bring their marketing into compliance with approved medical uses immediately.
Additionally, the HHS Office of Civil Rights issued a rule clarifying that policies limiting these procedures do not violate nondiscrimination laws. The administration emphasized that these actions fulfill a recent executive order from President Trump to end all federal support for child gender transitions.
The proposed regulations will now undergo a sixty-day public comment period before officially taking effect. This rollout marks a significant shift in federal health policy regarding the treatment of gender dysphoria in minors.
📋 Quick Facts: The HHS Crackdown on Child Gender Procedures
- Medicare & Medicaid Ban: Hospitals that perform gender-transition procedures on minors will be barred from participating in these federal programs.
- CHIP Funding Blocked: Federal funds for the Children’s Health Insurance Program can no longer be used for transgender procedures for anyone under 19.
- RFK Jr. Declaration: The HHS Secretary officially declared that doctors performing these procedures are out of compliance with medical standards.
- FDA Action: Warning letters were sent to 12 breast binder manufacturers for "illegal marketing" targeted at children.
- Civil Rights Rule: The HHS Office of Civil Rights ruled that banning these procedures does not violate federal nondiscrimination laws.
- 60-Day Window: There is a sixty-day public comment period before these regulations officially take effect.