Children’s Minnesota announced it will pause some gender health services for minors beginning February 27, citing federal actions directed at pediatric health systems. The hospital network said it will pause prescribing puberty-suppressing medications and hormones to patients under 18. The decision follows a U.S. Health and Human Services declaration in December that called treatments like puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries unsafe and ineffective for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria. The declaration also warned doctors they could be excluded from federal health programs like Medicare and Medicaid if they provide such care. A coalition of states including Minnesota has sued Health and Human Services over the declaration.
Children’s is the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood, and has offered gender-specific care through its Gender Health Care Program. Despite the pause on medication-based treatments, the hospital said its Gender Health Program will not fully close. Mental health, supportive care, medical treatment, and non-medical treatment services will continue to be provided to patients and their families. Children’s stated it had “contacted our patient families directly to help them navigate any impacts to their care.”
Provider Concerns and Legal Challenge
In a statement, Children’s emphasized that “gender affirming care is evidence-based, safe and lifesaving for transgender and gender diverse youth,” and said the decision was necessary “to protect the hospital and its providers” despite not being one “the hospital wanted to make.” Members of the Minnesota Queer Legislators Caucus, along with Attorney General Keith Ellison and others, planned to address the announcement during a press conference.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.wctrib.com/news/minnesota/childrens-minnesota-to-pause-some-gender-health-care-for-minors