The administration of former President Donald Trump unveiled a significant policy shift on Thursday, aiming to severely restrict access to gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender minors across the United States. The proposed actions would impact care even in states where such treatments are currently legal.
New Rules Target Funding and Definitions
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. detailed several agency actions designed to halt what he termed "sex rejecting treatments." The cornerstone of the plan is a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This rule would prohibit hospitals from providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries to minors as a condition for participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Furthermore, the rule seeks to prevent Medicaid funds from being used to pay for this type of care for young people. These proposed regulations are not yet final; they must undergo a 60-day public comment period before any potential implementation.
Broader Implications for Protections and Products
In a related move, HHS announced its intention to revise Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This law prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs. The revision would exclude gender dysphoria from the legal definition of "disability." This change would reverse a rule established under President Biden, which recognized gender dysphoria as a disability, providing a legal basis for transgender individuals to challenge discrimination in healthcare, housing, and education.
Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration will issue letters to 12 manufacturers of breast binders for minors, alleging illegal marketing practices directed at transgender youth.
Administration's Stance and Medical Community Response
Speaking at an HHS meeting, Secretary Kennedy stated the CMS rule would effectively bar "almost all hospitals" from offering gender-affirming care to minors, which he called "malpractice." Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of CMS, described these actions as part of an "all-government action to protect all vulnerable individuals."
These latest steps build on earlier efforts by the Trump administration to limit transgender healthcare access. In his first weeks in office, Trump signed executive orders targeting federal funding for hospitals providing such care to minors. The administration's stance is informed by an HHS review released in May, which concluded there is "a low quality of evidence" supporting gender-affirming care for minors—a position that departs from the consensus of most major American medical associations.
