CMS Probes Hospitals Nationwide Over Pediatric Gender Dysphoria Care

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), led by Administrator Mehmet Oz, has initiated an investigation into select hospitals providing gender-affirming care to minors, including puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and sex reassignment surgeries. CMS has sent letters demanding detailed information on hospitals' protocols, informed consent procedures, adverse events, and financial data related to these treatments, citing concerns over the quality standards and potential lifelong harm to children. This inquiry follows a Trump administration executive order and a Department of Health and Human Services report that questioned the evidence supporting gender-affirming care for minors and sought to restrict federal funding for such interventions. CMS emphasized that hospitals receiving federal funds must uphold rigorous quality standards and accountability, particularly given the irreversible nature of these procedures and their use of taxpayer money. The investigation contrasts with positions held by major medical organizations, such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, which support gender-affirming care as medically necessary. The CMS probe reflects ongoing federal scrutiny and legal challenges surrounding gender-affirming treatments for youth.