12/19/2025
A proposed rule announced yesterday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would bar hospitals from providing gender-affirming health care to people under 18 years old as a condition of participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs. Nearly every hospital in the US participates in and receives crucial funding from Medicare and Medicaid.
This rule, if adopted, would be a de facto ban on gender-affirming care for trans young people. The only exception would be care provided by the small number of medical providers who do not participate in Medicare and Medicaid. This is just one of multiple avenues this Administration is using to prevent trans young people in the US from receiving life-saving gender-affirming care.
Wednesday, the US House passed H.R.1399 which would make providing gender-affirming care a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and yesterday passed H.R. 498 which would prevent Medicaid from being used to fund gender-affirming care for trans young people.
While less likely to pass the Senate, these bills serve as a clear indication of the dogged, fanatical preoccupation with preventing trans young people from receiving care currently driving these policy decisions. This unscientific approach to funding care is in opposition to the laws of Illinois.
The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of “gender-related identity, whether or not traditionally associated with the person’s designated s*x at birth.” This disallows discrimination in access to healthcare.
Chicago Therapy Collective is in firm opposition to these and all attempts to deprive trans young people of life-saving medical care. It is our firm belief that gender-affirming care, like all other health care, should be a decision between patient and doctor. We call on our elected officials to continue to uphold Illinois’ just, science-informed laws which protect the rights of trans people of all ages. And we will continue to stand with and advocate for trans young people and their families as they face this political maelstrom.
