On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) under Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced that Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will no longer fund sex-change procedures for children. This includes puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex-change surgeries.

Secretary Kennedy stated, "Today, we are ending federal taxpayer funding for sex-rejecting procedures on children." The decision aligns with the Trump administration's commitment to protect children from what it describes as "experimental and life-altering sex-rejecting procedures that carry serious long-term health risks and lack sufficiently reliable evidence of clinical benefit."

CMS emphasized that by cutting off federal funds for these procedures, they are "following the science, saving taxpayer dollars, and, most importantly, protecting children from potentially irreversible harm so they can truly flourish."

The move reverses previous policies that allowed federal funding for treatments enabling minors to physically transition from their biological sex, often before they could legally drive, get a tattoo, or enlist in the military. Medical professionals like Janette Nesheiwat have highlighted the importance of comprehensive social and psychological evaluations before irreversible treatments for gender dysphoria.

Chloe Cole, a detransitioned individual, shared her experience with Fox News Digital, urging others to seek family support and carefully consider before transitioning.

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