Overview
- Rady Children’s Hospital confirmed it will stop gender-affirming medical interventions, procedures and prescriptions for minors, continue supportive services, and has told families care will cease by Feb. 6.
- Lurie Children’s Hospital said it will not initiate gender-affirming medications for patients under 18 who have not been treated by its team before, linking the move to federal actions including an HHS referral for investigation.
- HHS General Counsel Mike Stuart publicly named six hospitals referred to the agency’s Office of Inspector General, including Lurie, Nemours in Delaware, Boston Children’s, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, NYU Langone Health and Doernbecher in Oregon.
- The Trump administration’s December declaration and proposed rules assert pediatric gender-affirming care is unsafe and would condition Medicare and Medicaid participation on halting such care, though the proposals are not final and are open for public comment until mid-February.
- Legal pushback is accelerating as a coalition of states challenges the federal actions and parents sue Children’s Hospital Colorado over its suspension, while hospitals say counseling, mental health resources and care coordination will continue.