The Trump administration said this month that Medicaid will no longer cover gender-transition surgeries or hormone treatments for minors. President Trump stated on August 11 that he directed CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz to halt the payments, arguing the procedures cause irreversible harm and noting that many hospitals have already ended them after sustained pressure.

Influencer Vitus Spehar posted a viral criticism of the policy change, likening it to denying care for growth-hormone deficiency and urging remaining CMS officials, including financial-management director Rory Howe, to reverse the decision. Howe had signed a Washington state Medicaid amendment on August 13, 2024, that authorized federal reimbursement for treatments defined as medically necessary gender-affirming care, including hormones and surgeries.

Advocates have called on leftover CMS bureaucrats to override Trump and Oz so those treatments for children can continue with taxpayer funds.