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

Aug 11, 2026

The Trump administration has finalized a rule, effective October 13, 2026, ending federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for gender-affirming surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone therapies for minors. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. justified the ban by citing safety concerns and evidence gaps, referencing the UK's Cass Review. Major medical organizations oppose the rule, while LGBTQ+ advocates like the Human Rights Campaign have condemned the policy and promised legal challenges.

Medicaid funding prohibition

▪The finalized Trump administration rule blocking federal Medicaid funding for pediatric gender-affirming care is scheduled to take effect on October 13, 2026.
▪The Trump administration finalized a rule on August 11, 2026, that ends federal Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

CHIP coverage termination

▪The Trump administration's finalized rule terminates federal Children's Health Insurance Program funding for gender-affirming care for youth under the age of 19.
▪The Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid cover approximately 34.5 million children across the United States.

Procedures affected by rule

▪The finalized federal rule allows a six-month tapering-off period, phasing out hormone therapy coverage for minors currently receiving treatments through April 2027.
▪The finalized federal rule does not affect Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program coverage of mental health treatments or psychotherapy for minors with gender dysphoria.
▪The finalized federal rule prohibits Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program funding for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormone therapy, and surgical interventions for minors.

Trump administration justification

▪The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services cited the United Kingdom's 2024 Cass Review as a cornerstone piece of research informing the funding ban.
▪The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services stated that the funding ban is based on Department of Health and Human Services research identifying significant evidence gaps and safety concerns.
▪President Donald Trump promoted the policy change on Truth Social on August 11, 2026, explicitly linking it to the upcoming November midterm elections.

LGBTQ advocacy group response

▪Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson stated that the Trump administration is terrorizing transgender youth and families with the funding ban.
▪GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders legal director Josh Rovenger stated that the rule interferes with parental medical decisions and will face a legal challenge.

State-level treatment restrictions

▪At least 27 states in the United States have already enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.
▪The American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychological Association support access to pediatric gender-affirming care, disagreeing with the administration's safety conclusions.