Children's Minnesota resumes all gender-affirming care after pausing some services
Children's Minnesota announced Monday it is resuming gender-affirming care for children just over a month after pausing it amid "threats" from the federal government.
The hospital temporarily paused prescribing puberty-suppressing medications and pubertal hormones for patients under 18 in the Gender Health program on Feb. 27. It continued to provide "supportive care, mental health services and guidance regarding both medical and non-medical treatment options," as part of the Gender Health program during the pause.
The move came after a December proposal from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would prohibit hospitals from providing "pharmaceutical or surgical interventions" as gender-affirming care or risk losing Medicare and Medicaid funding.
Hospital officials say they decided to resume the program after a federal court ruling vacated the HHS's declaration.
"Offering science- and research-based health care to transgender and gender diverse youth is part of Children's Minnesota's vision of being every family's essential partner in raising healthier children," Children's Minnesota said.
The hospital said it will be contacting patient families that were affected by the pause.
One of President Trump's first actions in his second term was to issue an executive order saying the U.S. "will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support" gender-affirming care.
Since his inauguration, his administration has continued its attacks on trans people, including by attempting to prevent trans athletes from competing in sports. Last week, the Trump administration sued Minnesota and the Minnesota State High School League over the state's policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports.
