Overview
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized the rule announced Tuesday that ends federal Medicaid and CHIP payments for puberty blockers, cross‑sex hormones and gender‑affirming surgeries for minors.
- The rule takes effect on October 13, 2026 and allows a limited transition that keeps federal funding for some ongoing hormone treatments through April 2027.
- CMS kept federal coverage for mental‑health services related to gender dysphoria while declaring medical reviews that cited risks from puberty blockers and hormones.
- States that want to continue covering these treatments for low‑income children must pay with state funds or rely on private insurance, a change that will create wide differences in access.
- Medical groups and LGBTQ+ advocates condemned the move and groups including Human Rights Campaign and GLAD plan federal legal challenges that could alter how the rule is applied.