The Trump administration is ending the use of federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funds for transgender medical interventions for minors. The new rule, set to take effect October 13, covers puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries.
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From The Daily Wire:
The Trump administration announced Tuesday that a final rule barring federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funds from being used to pay for transgender medical interventions for minors, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries.
“Today, we are ending federal taxpayer funding for sex-rejecting procedures on children,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “These interventions carry serious risks and can cause irreversible harm. The federal government will no longer use Medicaid and CHIP dollars to fund procedures that fail to meet the evidentiary standard our children deserve.”
President Donald Trump celebrated the decision Tuesday, saying his administration would no longer force taxpayers to finance “barbaric surgeries and practices” on children.
The final rule follows broader efforts by the Trump administration to restrict federal support for medical interventions intended to alter the sex characteristics of minors. President Trump issued an executive order in January 2025 directing federal agencies to take steps to prevent federal funding from supporting such procedures for children. The order also instructed HHS to review the evidence surrounding their use in minors.
That review culminated in an HHS report examining medical interventions for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. The department said its review found significant limitations in the evidence supporting pediatric medical transition while identifying potential harms associated with puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries. The administration has subsequently used those findings to support changes to federal health policy.
CMS says the new Medicaid and CHIP rule is focused specifically on federal funding and will not eliminate coverage for mental health services. It also provides a six-month period in which federal funding may continue for minors already receiving hormone treatment so they can taper off the drugs.
The administration’s action comes amid a broader national debate over transgender medical interventions for minors. Several European health systems have moved toward more cautious approaches following reviews of the available evidence. The United Kingdom’s independent Cass Review, which CMS cited in announcing the rule, concluded that the evidence base supporting many pediatric gender treatments was remarkably weak and called for a more holistic approach to caring for young people experiencing gender-related distress.
For intercessors, this policy represents a significant development in the ongoing battle over how our nation cares for children struggling with their identity. Let’s pray that vulnerable young people would receive compassionate care grounded in truth, that parents would have wisdom as they guide their children, and that policymakers and medical professionals would protect children from irreversible harm.
Pray for America’s children and for wisdom among the parents, doctors, and officials entrusted with their care. Share your prayers and scriptures below.
(Excerpt from The Daily Wire. Photo Credit: Piron Guillaume on Unsplash)
