It has been reported that the Trump Administration will soon finalize two federal rules, one prohibiting federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) reimbursement for gender-affirming care provided to transgender youth, another barring hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to youth from receiving Medicaid or Medicare funds. Despite these attacks, the fact remains that providing gender-affirming care to youth remains legal in many states across the country. The Trans Youth Emergency Project will continue helping families of transgender youth across the country access safe, legal and medically necessary gender-affirming care.
ASHEVILLE, NC – Today, the Trump Administration further escalated its attacks on gender-affirming care, with multiple national outlets reporting that the Department of Health and Human Services will soon propose two new rules, one blocking Medicaid and CHIP coverage of gender-affirming healthcare for youth, the other barring hospitals that receive Medicaid and Medicare funding from providing gender-affirming care to youth.
Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Executive Director of the Campaign for Southern Equality, which runs the Trans Youth Emergency Project, said today:
“Yet again, the Trump administration is advancing its cruel, discriminatory anti-trans agenda. Yet again, they are targeting trans kids. But let’s be clear: As egregious as these proposed rules are, they do not constitute a national ban on gender-affirming care for trangender youth. The work ahead is clear – ensuring that every trans youth, regardless of where they live, can access the gender-affirming care they need to thrive. We will never stop having the backs of trans youth and their families. We are prepared to support trans youth and their families every step of the way, with logistical and financial support, and a hell of a lot of love.”
In about half of the country and at the federal level, gender-affirming care for trans youth – medically-necessary care supported and recommended by nearly every leading medical association – is still legal. There are many providers across the country who would not be impacted by these unprecedented proposed rules. These rules are not finalized or in effect, and if they do go into effect, they will not block community-based providers from providing care, or ban gender-affirming care in states that do not have a ban in effect.
The Trans Youth Emergency Project provides families of trans youth with 1-on-1 custom navigation services to access care, travel grants – renewable every three months for those in states with bans – and more resources to support them through this crisis.
