Equality California on Trump Administration Backing Down From Anti-Trans Medicare, Medicaid Funding Threats

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Equality California, the nation's largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to the Trump Department of Health and Human Services abandoning its proposed rule to withhold Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for hospitals that provide transition-related care for youth.

"Since returning to office in January 2025, Donald Trump and his administration have relentlessly attacked the rights and freedoms of countless Americans, with transgender youth among their most frequent targets. Today's decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services not to finalize a proposed rule denying Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to providers of medically necessary, evidence-based care for transgender youth is a hard-fought victory. It is the result of relentless advocacy from our movement and growing opposition to this administration's extremist agenda.

While this decision does not signal a complete abandonment of the administration's ongoing anti-trans agenda, it is a significant victory for both the transgender community and their allies, as well as those defending their basic rights and freedoms. 'Conditions of participation' rules, under which this proposal fell, have traditionally been used to ensure medical providers are meeting basic health and safety standards - not to dictate treatment or compel the termination of programs meant to serve a particular population.

People nationwide rose up in opposition to this proposal, submitting more than 30,000 comments via the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) online portal. Additionally, major medical groups like the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Children's Hospital Association urged the agency to withdraw this discriminatory rule.

The Trump administration has relentlessly targeted access to health care for transgender youth, but many of its efforts have been blocked by the courts, challenged by attorneys general like California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and countered by states like California that have stepped up to protect access to care.

Today's decision marks an important victory, but the broader fight is far from over. The administration continues to pursue other policies that threaten access to medically necessary care for transgender youth, including a pending Medicaid and CHIP rule and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 's politically motivated declaration attacking established standards of care for transgender people. Equality California will continue fighting every attempt to deny transgender people the health care they need.

We call on every provider that has suspended or ended transition-related care because of these threats to restore those services immediately. Today's decision should reassure hospitals and health care providers that they can continue providing medically necessary, evidence-based care to transgender youth.

One thing remains clear: Health care decisions should be made by patients, their families, and their doctors - not politicians or the government. Equality California will continue to fight any attempt to limit or restrict healthcare access for transgender youth and their families. Healthcare is a human right, not a bargaining chip."

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