HHS Ends Medicaid, CHIP Funding for Gender-Transition Procedures for Minors
August 12, 2026by Dan McCue
WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday it plans to end federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program funding for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and gender-transition surgeries for children and adolescents
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the final rule follows a federal review that found significant gaps in evidence concerning the safety and clinical benefits of the procedures for minors
The rule applies only to federal Medicaid and CHIP funds. It does not prohibit states or private insurers from providing coverage through other
“Today, we are ending federal taxpayer funding for sex-rejecting procedures on children,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, adding that, in his view, the procedures carry serious risks and may cause irreversible harm
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CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the policy was intended to protect children and ensure that federal health programs supported treatments based on what the administration described as the best available evidence
The department said the procedures could result in infertility, impaired sexual function, reduced bone density, changes in brain development and other lasting physiological effects. HHS did not provide a separate estimate of the number of Medicaid or CHIP beneficiaries affected
Under the rule, federal funding may continue for up to six months after the effective date for children who already are receiving hormone therapy. The tapering period is intended to allow states and providers to make arrangements for affected patients, CMS said
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