Despite New Proposed Rules, Gender-Affirming Care is Essential Health Care

12.18.2025 /Statement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Anthony Wright, Families USA's executive director, issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration's new proposed rules that would eliminate the use of Medicaid and CHIP funding to cover gender-affirming care for trans youth, bar hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to trans youth from participating in Medicaid and Medicare, and reverse nondiscrimination protections.

"These rules are another major gut-punch in what has already been a year-long battle royale to protect and defend Americans' access to affordable health care.

"The continued, targeted attack on trans people and trans youth by this administration restricts access to basic, essential health care, and promotes dangerous misinformation that will further hurt an already marginalized population.

"Every major U.S. medical association supports young people's access to age-appropriate gender-affirming care because of strong scientific evidence for the safety and effectiveness of such care. While these anti-science changes have not been finalized yet, trans youth can and should still access the care they need and deserve. If the administration enacts these rules, they will disproportionately affect low-income people's access to health care.

"We should keep politics out of the doctor's office. Gender-affirming care is essential health care. This attack is part of a broader assault on the health care and health system on which we all rely."