Trump Administration Proposes Ending ACA Coverage for Gender-Affirming Care
The proposed rule change, now open for public comment, could affect up to 270,000 transgender individuals and faces likely legal challenges before potential implementation in 2026.
- The Trump administration has introduced a proposed rule to remove gender-affirming care as an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- If implemented, insurers would no longer be required to cover treatments like hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and surgeries, potentially increasing costs for individuals and states.
- The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that up to 270,000 transgender individuals currently relying on ACA plans could lose coverage for gender-affirming care.
- The rule change, which builds on prior executive actions restricting transgender healthcare, has received limited public engagement, with only 5,400 comments submitted so far.
- Legal challenges are anticipated, and the rule, if approved, would go into effect in 2026, marking a significant shift in federal policy since gender-affirming care was first mandated as an essential benefit in 2016.
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