Virginia ENDS Medicaid coverage for child sex changes

An email obtained by Libs of TikTok, dated Friday, stated, “The purpose of this bulletin is to inform providers that the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) will no longer cover gender-affirming procedures, including certain drugs/hormones, for children under the age of 18 enrolled in Medicaid and children under the age of 19 in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).”

“Providers may continue to deliver these services, but these services will no longer be covered by DMAS. These restrictions also prohibit states’ use of the federal Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) pathway to provide coverage of these services to children under 18.”

A bulletin issued by DMAS Director Steve Ford in Late September warned that Medicaid and CHIP would no longer cover such treatments and procedures starting on October 13. Ford said the move was in accordance with an August final rule from the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“Under the final rule, federal Medicaid and CHIP funding will be available for a tapering-off period of up to six months from the effective date of the final rule for youth who are receiving medications related to gender affirming care as of October 13, 2026,” Ford said. He later added, “The rule does not affect coverage of mental health services, which will remain in place without changes.”

In announcing the final rule in August, Trump said, “Today, at my direction, Dr. Mehmet Oz announced that Medicaid will NO LONGER fund gender transition surgeries and hormones for minors. We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies.”

“Thanks to our strong position and pressure on this issue over the past year and a half, dozens of US hospitals have already ended this so-called ‘gender-affirming care,’ and we expect many more to follow. Just think about all of the young, innocent, and perhaps confused children who will be spared!

“While the Dumocrat Party wants your kids to be able to chop off their reproductive organs before they are old enough to vote, President Donald J. Trump (ME!) and the Republican Party say that is ABSURD, and we will protect America’s children. Please remember this when you are casting your vote in the Midterm Elections in November.”

Governor Abigail Spanberger spoke with reporters on Friday, grouping the coverage change in with other changes to healthcare made by the Trump admin. “This is not a question of whether or not our administration is making a choice to pull back funds, this is a question and an example once more of a federal government and Trump Administration changing access to healthcare,” she said. Spanberger said her office is “looking at every option available” to address the change.