The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on Thursday that it is proposing new rules that would block Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals performing gender-affirming procedures for minors.
According to senior managers, if these regulations are finalized, they could “effectively end the gender transition for minors nationwide.” The proposed rule is titled “Prohibiting modification of child sexual characteristics in Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
After releasing these proposed regulations, the CMS plans to work alongside the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to finalize the wording, based on reports.
Last month, a report revealed that during the Trump administration, funds from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) were withheld from hospitals that provided sex-transition drugs and surgeries for minors.
Senior administrators mentioned that these new rules could financially affect health facilities that do not comply.
The rules suggest that if a hospital participates in gender-altering surgeries for minors, it would be ineligible for Medicare or Medicaid funding. Essentially, hospitals cannot provide these procedures and still receive government funds.
Even though this rule is still in its early stages, numerous hospitals across the country have begun to limit these practices. Reports indicate that nearly 20 hospitals have already restricted access to gender transition medications and surgeries.
Related: Stanford Medicine stops sex reassignment surgery for minors
Other governmental bodies are also addressing this issue. Earlier this year, the FBI initiated a criminal investigation into three children’s hospitals regarding the provision of gender-altering drugs and surgeries for minors. Furthermore, last month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a workshop to discuss “deceptive trade practices” related to such procedures.
In July, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued subpoenas to more than 20 doctors and hospitals connected to administering transgender medical procedures to children. A press release indicated that the investigation encompasses various issues, including healthcare fraud and false statements.
As reported by National Review, “The administration believes that formalizing this proposed HHS rule is the most powerful lever the federal government can use to compel gender clinics, hospitals, and medical professionals, with close coordination from CMS in the rule-making process.”
