RFK Jr. and Dr. OZ to announce moves to ban gender-affirming care for young people

Friday, December 19, 2025 -Today, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., joined by Dr. Mehmet Oz of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other senior federal health officials, unveiled a coordinated set of regulatory actions that would significantly restrict access to gender-affirming care for transgender minors nationwide. 

The proposed rules would remove federal Medicaid reimbursement from providers offering such care to patients under 18 and block Medicare and Medicaid funding for pediatric gender-affirming services, a move that could sharply reduce availability even in states where the care remains legal.

The measures are expected to be formally introduced through the federal rulemaking process, triggering a public comment period before any final decisions are made. While not immediately enforceable, health policy experts warn that the financial impact alone could lead hospitals and clinics to discontinue services for young patients. 

The administration argues the actions are intended to protect children from medical interventions it considers insufficiently studied, while critics say the policy intrudes on clinical judgment and family decision-making.

The response has been swift and deeply divided. Major medical organizations have criticized the proposals, emphasizing that gender-affirming care is supported by established clinical guidelines. 

Civil-rights groups are preparing legal challenges, and families of transgender youth are voicing concern about losing access to care. As regulatory and legal battles begin to unfold, the announcement signals a major shift in federal health policy with immediate implications for providers, patients, and the broader healthcare system.