In a significant policy development, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Thursday a shift in federal healthcare funding under President Donald Trump's administration. The new directive aims to cease federal support for gender-transition medical interventions for individuals under the age of 18. This encompasses puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures.
The declaration, signed by Kennedy and supported by peer-reviewed evidence, states that treatments intended to modify a minor's sexual characteristics are neither secure nor efficacious. Healthcare providers offering such services to minors risk noncompliance with federal patient-safety regulations, which could lead to enforcement actions against hospitals and practitioners.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has instructed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to commence rulemaking to exclude hospitals that conduct these procedures from participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs. With the vast majority of U.S. hospitals dependent on federal reimbursement, this policy could significantly limit nationwide access to these medical interventions.
Kennedy has openly criticized major medical organizations, such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, for endorsing what he terms ideologically driven practices. He accused them of neglecting evidence-based care and failing the needs of vulnerable children, emphasizing, "This is not medicine. It is malpractice."
The policy echoes President Trump's executive order that reversed a directive from the Biden administration on transgender inclusion, reaffirming the federal health policy's focus on child protection, privacy, and freedom of conscience by recognizing biological sex as immutable.
HHS officials noted that CMS will use its authority under the Social Security Act to establish patient-safety standards for hospital participation. The department's rulemaking aims to prevent federal funding of institutions that may cause irreversible harm to children. Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration is issuing warning letters to manufacturers of breast binders regarding the marketing of these products to minors, as they can lead to impaired lung function and other long-term health issues.
In a parallel legislative development, the House passed the "Protect Children’s Innocence Act," sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, which criminalizes providing sex-change surgeries or puberty blockers to minors. However, the bill's fate in the Senate remains uncertain amid procedural and leadership hurdles.
The policy has been met with stern opposition from Democrats and civil liberties organizations. The ACLU described it as "the most extreme anti-trans bill ever considered by Congress." Representative Sarah McBride criticized Republicans for their focus on transgender issues, while New York Attorney General Letitia James called the move "reprehensible" and signaled potential legal challenges.
As federal rulemaking advances and the prospect of legal confrontations grows, the Trump administration frames this initiative as part of a wider child-protection agenda, setting the stage for an enduring political and judicial debate over pediatric gender medicine in America.
