Trump administration ends Medicaid and CHIP funding for gender-affirming care for minors

On August 11, 2026, the Trump administration finalized a rule blocking federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for youth gender-affirming care, effective October 13, 2026. President Trump, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz defended the policy by citing safety concerns and insufficient evidence. Major medical organizations support the care as safe and effective, while LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including the Human Rights Campaign, condemned the rule and promised legal action.

Medicaid funding ban

• ▪The Trump administration's rule banning federal Medicaid funding for youth gender-affirming care is scheduled to take effect on October 13, 2026, though state-level dollars can still be used to cover these treatments
• ▪The Trump administration announced a final rule on August 11, 2026, that blocks the use of federal Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, hormones, and surgical operations, for minors under the age of 18

CHIP coverage restrictions

• ▪Under the new rule, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid beneficiaries currently receiving cross-sex hormone therapy can continue to claim benefits during a phase-out period lasting until April 2027
• ▪The Trump administration's finalized rule bars Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plans from paying for gender-affirming procedures for individuals under the age of 19

Youth gender-affirming care prevalence

• ▪Gender-affirming surgeries are rare among minors, with a 2024 study finding that less than one percent of transgender minors received some form of surgical gender-affirming care
• ▪A 2024 study found that cisgender male youth reported a higher uptake of gender-affirming surgical care than transgender youth, with cisgender males seeking treatment for gynecomastia representing 97 percent of minors who received breast reductions

Trump administration justification

• ▪President Donald Trump stated that he directed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to implement the funding ban to protect children from what Trump characterized as barbaric practices and irreversible harm
• ▪Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the federal government will no longer fund these procedures because they carry serious risks, can cause irreversible harm, and fail to meet necessary evidentiary standards
• ▪The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated that the funding ban follows an HHS review of research that identified significant evidence gaps and serious safety concerns regarding gender-affirming interventions for children

LGBTQ advocacy group responses

• ▪Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson condemned the rule, stating that the Trump administration is terrorizing transgender youth and their families, and noted that the organization is already suing the administration over other healthcare coverage bans
• ▪The Trevor Project's senior vice president of public engagement campaigns, Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, called the rule a dangerous restriction on doctor-prescribed healthcare that is supported by leading medical and mental health associations
• ▪GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders legal director Josh Rovenger stated that the rule puts up barriers between parents and their medical decisions and confirmed that the policy would face a legal challenge

Medical community positions

• ▪Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, support access to gender-affirming care for minors, characterizing it as safe, effective, and beneficial for mental health outcomes when clinical guidelines are followed
• ▪The American Society of Plastic Surgeons stated in 2026 that it found insufficient evidence that the benefits of chest, genital, and facial surgeries on minors experiencing gender dysphoria outweigh the risks