A new rule implemented by the Trump administration restricts state and federal funding through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for certain gender-affirming treatments for individuals under 18. The rule, directed by former President Donald Trump, aims to prevent what he described as “barbaric surgeries and practices” on minors.
Trump stated on social media that he instructed CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to enact these restrictions. "We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies," Trump wrote.
Dr. Oz, in a press release, asserted that the rule would protect children by "following the science, saving taxpayer dollars, and, most importantly, protecting children from potentially irreversible harm so they can truly flourish." TIME has reached out to the CMS for additional comment.
Advocates argue that the treatments in question are often medically necessary and are not performed casually. "In order to qualify for this care, a young person has to be experiencing very severe, prolonged distress," said [unspecified person, potentially an advocate or healthcare professional cited in the source material, though the original notes do not provide a name or title]. "I think maybe some people have the misconception that this care is being provided to kids just who are gender nonconforming or who are just identifying as transgender, but that is not the case."
The exact number of individuals relying on Medicaid and CHIP for gender-affirming care is not publicly available. However, in 2023, spending from these programs on such services totaled $31 million.