Trump blocks Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care for trans youth

President Donald Trump has put a new rule in place that stops two government health programs from paying for gender-affirming care for transgender young people. The programs are Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, called CHIP. Both programs help low-income families cover the cost of medical care. The new rule blocks these programs from paying for hormone treatments and surgeries for trans youth, even if a doctor recommends that care.

LGBTQ+ rights groups and doctors say the rule is harmful and could put young people's health at risk. They argue that parents and doctors — not the government — should decide what medical care a child needs. Legal groups say they plan to challenge the rule in court. The rule is already facing strong pushback from across the country.

Trump announced the change on his social media site, Truth Social. He said Medicaid will no longer fund gender transition surgeries and hormones for minors. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, both supported the decision. Oz said the rule protects children from harm.

However, many of the country's top medical groups disagree with the rule. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and other major organizations say that gender-affirming care is the right medical approach for trans youth with gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a condition where a person feels strong discomfort because their gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. These groups say the science supports providing this type of care.

A 2022 study by The Trevor Project found that gender-affirming hormone therapy was linked to lower rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts among trans youth. The Trevor Project is a mental health organization that supports LGBTQ+ young people. Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, a leader at the group, called the new rule a dangerous restriction on doctor-prescribed care. He said medical decisions should be made by patients, doctors, and families — not the government.

Josh Rovenger, a legal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, said the rule puts up barriers between parents and their ability to make the best medical decisions for their children. He said using healthcare funding to push a political agenda is not the same as following good medicine. Kelley Robinson of the Human Rights Campaign said the rule is terrorizing trans youth and their families. She called on the administration to stop these actions.

The new rule still allows Medicaid and CHIP to pay for mental health services for trans youth. Young people already receiving hormone therapy through these programs can keep their coverage for up to six more months. However, coverage for puberty blockers and surgeries appears to have stopped right away. This rule is part of a larger set of actions Trump has taken against gender-affirming care since he took office.