The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services today announced two proposed rules threatening medically-necessary health care for transgender young people as part of a broader federal attempt to eliminate access to this care.
“It is incredibly important to know that these proposed rules are not currently in effect and are not a ban on medically-necessary health care for trans youth. It is also critical to recognize that these rules are being justified by lies and are attempting to hold vital sources of health care funding hostage, all to advance an extremist political agenda,” said Abigail Swetz, Executive Director of Fair Wisconsin. “The most significant thing to understand is this: these proposed rules will be open to public comment, and we must use our voices to speak truth to power and defend access to this medically-necessary, highly-individualized, age-appropriate, safe, effective, and life-affirming health care for trans youth.”
The proposed rules from CMS target access to medically-necessary health care for trans youth in two ways: proposed rule #2025-23464 would eliminate Medicaid coverage of treatment for gender dysphoria for patients under age 18 (under age 19 for individuals covered by CHIP); proposed rule #2025-23465 would change the Conditions of Participation to prohibit hospitals receiving any Medicare or Medicaid funding from providing treatment for gender dysphoria to anyone under age 18. The proposed rules will open for 60 days of public comment upon their publication in the Federal Register tomorrow.
“In today’s press briefing, officials from CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services relied on politicized pseudoscience to justify these extreme proposed rules. Government officials spread disinformation and lies about health care that is evidence-based, high-quality, and supported by every major U.S. medical and mental health association,” said Executive Director Swetz. “These same government officials denied the existence of transgender people while also name-checking the divine worth of children and the need to lead with compassion before asking for blessings on President Trump. We – the LGTBQ+ and allied communities – will respond to today’s actions by actually leading with compassion and defending access to medically-necessary health care for transgender young people.”
Fair Wisconsin has been working with national and state partners to be able to offer a process for public comment that protects commenters’ privacy. Wisconsinites interested in submitting public comment opposing these proposed rules are encouraged to register for Fair Wisconsin’s upcoming webinar on sharing impact stories.
“The fight against these extreme proposed rules is a fight every single American has a stake in. This administration is going after our trans kids and their families because they think they can get away with it. These extreme proposed rules, coupled with the way this administration is going after medically-necessary health care for trans youth on all fronts, are attacks on Americans’ ability to live public, full lives free of government interference,” said Executive Director Swetz. “We must do everything we can to stop these proposed rules, and that means robust public comment. When we say this health care is medically-necessary, we’re saying that because our kids themselves are necessary, as is their ability to grow up in a body that is home and to become the healthy adults and compassionate leaders this state needs. We must protect their care, and in doing so, support Wisconsin’s kids and families.”
For past press releases from Fair Wisconsin, including more information on medically-necessary health care for trans youth, visit https://fairwisconsin.com/news-press/.
