NYU Langone, one of New York City’s leading healthcare networks, has reportedly stopped scheduling gender-affirming surgeries for new minor patients, halting puberty blockers and hormone therapies as well. The move comes after the Trump administration threatened to cut federal funding to hospitals offering gender-affirming treatments for minors under 19.
The federal directive, signed by Trump, bans gender-affirming procedures for minors and mandates the Health Department to suspend reimbursements for related treatments under Medicare and Medicaid programs. The crackdown has put Big Apple-based healthcare providers in a difficult position, torn between the risk of losing funding and the potential violation of New York’s anti-discrimination laws.
On Monday, New York Attorney General Letitia James weighed in, stating that suspending gender-affirming care violates state law and reminding that the funding cut, imposed by Trump’s executive order, is currently on hold pending a ruling by federal courts.
New York and 22 other states have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration to block the funding ban, securing a temporary suspension of the measure by a federal judge.
In recent years, New York State has strongly reinforced protections for transgender youth amid the Republican push to limit them. In 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law safeguarding doctors and families from legal actions by other states regarding gender-transition care. However, the law does not shield against federal pressure.
Currently, 26 U.S. states have imposed restrictions or outright bans on gender-transition care for minors, according to the Movement Advancement Project. Leading medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, have harshly criticized the measures, warning of serious consequences for the mental and physical health of young people denied care.
“Denying these treatments increases the risk of suicide, depression, and anxiety,” said Clark Wolff Hamel, executive director of PFLAG, an LGBTQ+ family support group. On Monday, he joined hundreds of others in Manhattan to protest New York’s hospitals’ compliance with the new Republican stance.
The White House’s tightening grip has also impacted other healthcare facilities. New York-Presbyterian—the state’s largest hospital—has apparently removed any mention of gender-affirming treatments for minors from its website. The terms “transgender” and “gender-diverse children” no longer appear, and puberty suppression and hormone treatments have been removed from the list of available services.
Angela Karafazi, a spokesperson for the hospital, was quick to clarify that the transgender patient support program remains active. However, she did not specify whether the White House restrictions will affect the delivery of those treatments.
LGBTQ+ groups and civil rights attorneys are vowing to continue the fight. “Denying these treatments is a cruel and illegal act,” said Erin Harrist, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society. “Now more than ever, resistance is needed.”
