The Trump administration has launched a major investigation into hospitals performing transgender surgeries on minors, demanding detailed records of outcomes and financial data as concerns mount over irreversible procedures being performed on children.
Key Takeaways
- CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz is leading an aggressive oversight campaign targeting hospitals that perform transgender procedures on minors.
- The initiative follows an HHS review that found “very weak evidence of benefit” for gender-affirming medical interventions in children.
- Hospitals have 30 days to provide comprehensive data on informed consent practices, adverse events, and detransition cases.
- President Trump signed an executive order ending Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for transgender interventions on minors.
- The investigation includes demands for financial data on federally funded transgender procedures and their profit margins.
Federal Inquiry Demands Transparency From Hospitals
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) under Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz has launched a comprehensive investigation into hospitals providing transgender drugs and surgeries to minors across the country. The inquiry specifically targets medical facilities receiving federal funding through Medicare and Medicaid programs. These hospitals must now provide detailed information about their protocols, outcomes, and finances related to gender transition procedures performed on children. The move represents a significant shift in federal oversight of controversial medical interventions that have proliferated in recent years despite growing concerns about their long-term impacts.
“These are irreversible, high-risk procedures being conducted on vulnerable children, often at taxpayer expense,” said Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator.
The federal investigation comes after President Trump signed an executive order halting Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for transgender interventions on minors. Hospitals now face a 30-day deadline to respond to CMS’s inquiry letter, which requests detailed information on changes to clinical practice guidelines, informed consent protocols, and crucially, adverse events—particularly cases involving children who later detransition. The administration’s actions follow a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services review that revealed “very weak evidence of benefit” for medical gender interventions in children with gender dysphoria.
Financial Scrutiny and Ethical Concerns
The CMS investigation extends beyond medical protocols to examine the financial aspects of transgender interventions. Hospitals must now provide data on the costs of these procedures and their profit margins when funded by federal healthcare programs. This financial scrutiny comes amid growing concerns that some medical institutions may be prioritizing revenue over patient wellbeing, particularly when it comes to vulnerable children struggling with gender identity issues. The investigation specifically targets surgeries altering physical appearance and prescriptions for cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers, all of which can have permanent effects on young patients.
“What medical interventions have you performed on confused kids, how much money are you making from it, and how are those kids faring?” asked Mary Rice Hasson, Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
Dr. Oz’s oversight initiative reflects the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting children from potentially harmful medical interventions. Critics of the gender medicine industry have long argued that hospitals have failed to adequately follow up on patient outcomes or fully disclose risks like infertility and other health complications. Some experts anticipate resistance from medical institutions, with hospitals potentially employing legal resources to avoid full accountability. However, the administration has signaled its determination to persist in this inquiry regardless of such obstacles.
Voices of Detransitioners Strengthen Oversight Case
The administration’s oversight efforts gain additional weight from the testimonies of detransitioners like Chloe Cole, who began transitioning at age 13 only to later regret her decision. Cole has described herself as being “failed by the system” and now actively campaigns against medical gender transitions for minors. Her story represents countless young people who underwent irreversible procedures before reaching full maturity and decision-making capacity. Critics of pediatric gender medicine point out the inconsistency of prohibiting minors from smoking, drinking, or getting tattoos while allowing them to consent to permanent body-altering medical interventions.
“Numerous substantive evidence reviews, plus the recent HHS umbrella evidence review, have found the opposite — that there’s very little evidence of benefit, most evidence is poor quality, and children are suffering permanent harm, including infertility/sterilization, cardiovascular risks, weakened bones, and likely changes to the brain,” said Mary Rice Hasson, Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
The CMS oversight campaign represents a significant policy shift that aligns with growing international caution regarding pediatric gender medicine. Several European countries have already scaled back or restricted medical transitions for minors in recent years due to insufficient evidence of long-term benefits and increasing concerns about irreversible harm. By demanding comprehensive data on outcomes and adverse events, the Trump administration aims to ensure that medical practices align with the fundamental principle of “first, do no harm” when it comes to vulnerable children struggling with complex identity issues.
