AG Campbell released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released three new proposed rules to limit funding for and access to medically necessary gender-affirming care. If finalized, the rules would prohibit medical providers and hospitals from receiving Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) reimbursements for care provided to transgender youth 18 and under, as well as block any hospital that provides gender-affirming care to young people from receiving any Medicare and Medicaid funding. A third proposed rule would exclude people with gender identity disorders from certain statutory protections from discrimination for HHS-funded programs. 

“Medically necessary health care for transgender youth saves lives and is essential to their emotional and physical wellbeing. While these proposed rules cruelly target our trans community, they will put millions of Americans’ health care at risk by forcing hospitals and medical providers to choose between receiving Medicaid and Medicare funding or abandoning their adolescent transgender patients. I will continue to stand up for the rule of law and the right of all Massachusetts residents to receive medically necessary health care and am prepared to take action if any unlawful rule is finalized.”  -AG Campbell