The Trump Administration Launches a New Angle of Attack Against Trans Healthcare
Just two days after finalizing a regulation to make sure trans kids from low-income families can’t afford puberty blockers or hormone therapy, the Trump administration has loosed another salvo in its bitter war against transgender people’s healthcare. On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services published a report—authored largely by employees of right-wing advocacy […]
Just two days after implementing a regulation to prevent low-income transgender minors from accessing puberty blockers or hormone therapy, the Trump administration has launched another assault on transgender healthcare. On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report alleging that certain hospitals are using incorrect billing codes for pediatric gender-affirming care, casting doubt on its medical necessity.
The report, largely written by employees of right-wing advocacy groups, frames the billing practices as potential fraud and calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate roughly 150 healthcare organizations, including major children's hospitals, pharmacies, and small clinics. Vice President Kamala Harris announced this move in a social media video.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar Jr. also announced he would refer the providers to DOJ for investigation. Advocates of transgender healthcare view the HHS report as part of a broader effort to undermine care. The report, titled "Wolves in White Coats: How Doctors and Hospitals Pushed and Profited from the Fraud of 'Gender Medicine'," criticizes the use of two diagnostic codes when prescribing puberty blockers.
One code, "precocious puberty," is typically used to describe early-onset puberty, while the other, "endocrine disorder, unspecified," has been used by some transgender healthcare providers to avoid stigmatizing language. The report argues that these codes are improperly used for children delaying puberty while transitioning. Despite the report's federal backing, much of its content appears to be recycled from conservative policy groups and anti-trans activist organizations.
The report's authors include former White House officials, employees of the Independent Women’s Forum, and anti-LGBTQ groups. Critics argue that the report could serve as a political weapon in the midterms and could be used in future legal cases against providers of gender-affirming care.
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