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Even in blue states, hospitals have continued to drop gender-affirming care for youths

In February, Baystate Health stopped providing gender-affirming medications to minors, offering only counseling. The Springfield, Massachusetts-based system halted treatment after the Trump administration threatened to pull Medicaid and Medicare funding.
Baystate spokesperson Heather Duggan stated the decision reflected the risk of losing "hundreds of millions of dollars in government reimbursement." Nearly 70 percent of the system's patients rely on Medicaid and Medicare for coverage.
Families like those of a 14-year-old nicknamed "Bug" were referred to Transhealth, a private Northampton specialty clinic. CEO Jo Erwin said the clinic has taken on about 50 of Baystate's former patients.
In June, a federal judge cleared 16 states, including Massachusetts, to move forward with a lawsuit against the administration over its push to criminalize gender-affirming care. Massachusetts maintains a "shield" law protecting providers.
At least 20 hospitals dropped similar services as the Trump administration escalated federal funding threats. Transhealth CEO Erwin noted that when hospitals see such pressure, "people get scared that it's ultimately going to happen to everyone.

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Even in blue states, hospitals have continued to drop gender-affirming care for youths

One afternoon in late 2024, a sixth-grader nicknamed Bug came home from school with an announcement to make. Bug, who was assigned female at birth, told his parents he was a boy — and would be using he/him pronouns. "OK,…

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