Trump Medicaid Director’s Decision to Cut Child Sex-Change Coverage Will Save Nearly $20 Million

The Trump administration’s decision to prohibit Medicaid coverage of child sex-change procedures will save taxpayers at least $18.5 million.

Between 2019 and 2023, the total submitted charges for child sex-change surgeries in the U.S. amounted to $108,516,134, of which $18,476,978 were submitted to Medicaid, including traditional Medicaid and managed Medicaid, according to data from medical watchdog Do No Harm shared with The Daily Signal.

There were a total of $119,791,202 submitted charges for sex-change procedures on minors, including both surgeries and medications in the United States, between 2019 and 2023, according to Do No Harm.

Under the leadership of Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is urging states against using Medicaid funds for transgender medical interventions for minors.

“As a doctor and now [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] Administrator, my top priority is protecting children and upholding the law,” Oz said Friday.

It is legal for a child to undergo a gender transition in almost half of the states.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., had pressed Oz on his past support for child gender transitions. He wrote a series of questions on March 18 about Oz’s past statements expressing support of transgender medical interventions for minors and ambivalence on abortion.

Oz responded to Hawley that his views have changed to be in alignment with those of the Trump administration. President Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting federal support for child sex changes on Jan. 28.

The conservative senator praised the Medicaid director for staying true to his promise to protect kids from transgenderism.

“I’m glad to see that Dr. Oz is upholding his commitment to protect children from the radical transgender agenda,” Hawley told The Daily Signal. “Our tax dollars should be used to protect Medicaid and Medicare, not the mutilation of our children.”

On Friday, Oz publicly agreed with Hawley, stating that under his watch, Medicaid won’t fund irreversible child gender transition procedures.

“Medicaid dollars are not to be used for gender reassignment surgeries or hormone treatments in minors—procedures that can cause permanent, irreversible harm, including sterilization,” Oz said. “We have a duty to ensure medical care is lawful, necessary, and truly in the best interests of patients.” 

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