Children’s Hospital Colorado has again paused gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 18, after federal authorities opened a new investigation into the hospital.
The hospital confirmed the suspension Friday. It means that the hospital’s providers will not write new prescriptions or authorize the renewal of existing prescriptions for young patients related to gender-affirming care.
The pause does not apply to any patients age 18 or older. All patients will also continue to be able to receive behavioral health care and what the hospital called “supportive services.” Children’s has never provided gender-affirming surgeries to patients under 18.
“We recognize the anxiety and grief that this continued uncertainty around access to gender affirming care creates for those who have shown unwavering dedication and commitment to supporting children in embracing their true selves,” the hospital wrote in a note to patients receiving care through the TRUE Center for Gender Diversity. “We continue to believe that all families, including the families of transgender children, should have the ability to seek and receive the expert medical care their child needs to thrive.”
Children’s has faced a series of federal challenges to gender-affirming care during the second administration of President Donald Trump.
The hospital first suspended gender-affirming care early last year, after an order by Trump threatened to pull federal funding from hospitals that provide the care to kids. When a federal judge blocked that order, Children’s resumed its care.
Children’s is also fighting in court to block a subpoena seeking patient medical records, personnel files and huge amounts of internal and external communication related to gender-affirming care.
The exterior of Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, photographed on Oct. 18, 2019. (John Ingold, The Colorado Sun)The new challenge comes after health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a declaration stating that gender-affirming treatments for youth “are neither safe nor effective as a treatment modality for gender dysphoria, gender incongruence, or other related disorders in minors.” This contrasts with support for gender-affirming care by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association.
Based on that declaration, Kennedy proposed a new rule that would block hospitals that provide such care from receiving any payment — for any services to any patients — from Medicaid or Medicare. Children’s sees more than 900,000 patient visits per year, spread across inpatient, outpatient and emergency care. About half of Children’s patients are covered by Medicaid, meaning that losing access to the program would cost the hospital hundreds of millions of dollars per year in revenue.
Colorado has joined 18 other states in suing to block the declaration.
“Secretary Kennedy cannot unilaterally change medical standards by posting a document online, and no one should lose access to medically necessary health care because their federal government tried to interfere in decisions that belong in doctors’ offices,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the lawsuit, said in a statement last week.
In addition, the top attorney for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mike Stuart, announced last week on X that he had referred Children’s to the agency’s Office of the Inspector General for investigation.
In his post on X, Stuart cited Kennedy’s “declaration that sex-rejecting procedures for children and adolescents are neither safe nor effective” as reason for the referral.
“Sadly, it may not be the last referral,” Stuart, a Trump appointee, said, adding that his office “will always take every possible action to ensure children all across the nation are safe and protected.”
Today I again referred for investigation to @OIGatHHS another hospital for failure to meet recognized standards of health care per the @HHSGov @SecKennedy declaration that sex-rejecting procedures for children andadolescents are neither safe nor effective – Children’s Hospital…
— HHS General Counsel Mike Stuart (@HHSGCMikeStuart) December 30, 2025The investigation also could result in Children’s losing Medicaid and Medicare funding. At least one other hospital, Seattle Children’s Hospital, has also been referred for investigation.
In a statement to The Sun, Children’s said it decided to suspend gender-affirming care for youth due to the threatened impact of the HHS investigation and the overall declaration.
“This referral threatens Children’s Colorado’s Medicare and Medicaid funding, risking care for hundreds of thousands of children,” the hospital wrote.
Children’s said the suspension would remain in place “while we await federal court rulings and assess the rapidly evolving legal landscape.”
Hence then, the article about children s hospital colorado has suspended gender affirming care for transgender youth amid a new federal investigation was published today ( ) and is available on Colorado Sun ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Children’s Hospital Colorado has suspended gender-affirming care for transgender youth amid a new federal investigation )
Also on site :