(KTXL) Heath care provider Kaiser Permanente has announced it will be pausing gender-affirming surgeries for patients who are under the age of 19.
Kaiser became the latest health care provider to change its gender-affirming care policy starting August 29, in response to efforts by the Trump administration to restrict access.
“After significant deliberation and consultation with internal and external experts, including our physicians, we’ve made the difficult decision to pause surgical treatment for patients under the age of 19 in our hospitals and surgical centers,” a Kaiser spokesperson told affiliate KTXL. “All other gender-affirming care treatment remains available.”
It’s unclear how many surgeries on patients under age 19 were being performed or sought at Kaiser, however, the provider says it understands the federal government is focused on gender-affirming care, especially for young people.
“We continue to meet with regulators as well as our clinicians, patients, their families, and the community with the goal of identifying a responsible path forward,” Kaiser officials said.
According to the hospital, this includes an executive order that instructs federal agencies to take actions to reduce access and restrict funding for gender-affirming care, and hospital inquiries by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and changes to coverage and border federal agencies review, which includes the Federal Trade Commission.
A recent subpoena has also been issued by the U.S. Department of Justice to doctors and clinics that provided care to minors.
“We recognize that this is an extremely challenging and stressful time for our patients seeking care, as well as for our clinicians whose mission is to care for them,” Kaiser said. “We will work closely with each patient to support their care journey.”
State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) stated this is “straight up denial of care” to those who are under the care of a physician and parents who have permitted the treatments.
“Trump has declared war on trans people and trans kids and their families in particular,” Wiener said. “Now is the time to have these kids’ and these families’ backs, not to fold under pressure from the most homophobic and transphobic Administration in modern history an Administration that won’t stop until LGBTQ people are entirely erased from public life.”
affiliate KTXL reached out to some Republican senators and congressmen, but did not hear back in time for this article.
