Policy & Research · Texas behavioral health news
Even in Blue States, Hospitals Have Continued To Drop Gender-Affirming Care for Youths
KFF Health News – Mental Health · By Karen Brown, New England Public Media · June 24, 2026
In plain language
Even in states with laws protecting transgender rights, some hospitals are stopping gender-affirming medical care for minors. Hospitals like Baystate Health in Massachusetts have ended hormone treatments because they fear losing millions of dollars in federal funding. While some families are finding alternatives at private clinics or through primary care doctors, others are struggling to navigate the changing landscape. These decisions impact many families who moved to more liberal states specifically to ensure their children could access these services safely.
AI-generated summary of the source article. Not medical advice.
Key takeaways
- At least 20 hospitals across the country have ended or restricted gender-affirming care for minors.
- Health systems fear the federal government will pull Medicaid and Medicare funding if they continue these treatments.
- Some hospitals choose to offer mental health counseling while discontinuing puberty blockers and hormone therapies.
- Private clinics may continue providing care because they rely more on donations than on federal government reimbursements.
- Several states have taken legal action to challenge federal threats to funding for transgender healthcare.
Massachusetts passed laws and joined lawsuits to protect access to gender-affirming care for minors. But faced with the Trump administration’s threats, some hospitals voluntarily stopped care. Families are outraged.
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