News|Donald TrumpTrump proposes new rules to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youthCritics warn that the Trump administration’s statements against transgender healthcare contradict decades of research.
## Proposed Regulations Affecting Gender-Affirming Healthcare
Proposed Regulations Affecting Gender-Affirming Healthcare
On Thu, Oct 12, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced proposed regulations that would restrict hospitals from providing gender-affirming healthcare to individuals under 18 years old. These regulations would prevent hospitals and clinics from accessing CMS programs if they continue offering such care.
Another proposed rule aims to prohibit federal Medicaid funds from being used for gender-affirming procedures. This measure could significantly impact healthcare providers, as most hospitals in the United States participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Declaration by Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed a declaration rejecting gender-affirming care for minors. Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration issued notices to manufacturers of chest binders, indicating that marketing these products to transgender youth is considered illegal.
These regulations would prevent hospitals and clinics from accessing CMS programs if they continue offering such care.
The proposed regulations have been criticized for diverging from the consensus in the medical community, which generally supports gender-affirming care as beneficial for transgender youth. Evidence suggests that such care can reduce rates of suicide, anxiety, self-harm, and depression. Despite this, the proposed rules claim to protect children from harm.
Currently, 27 states have laws prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. These state actions are supported at the federal level, with recent legislative efforts aiming to criminalize providing gender-affirming care to individuals under 18. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill to this effect, which will now move to the Senate.
Advocates emphasize that some gender-affirming treatments, such as puberty blockers, are reversible and can protect minors from both physical and emotional harm. Legal challenges to the proposed regulations are anticipated.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.