As the midterm elections approach, the Trump administration continues its push against so-called “gender-affirming care” for children.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced last week that New York University Langone Hospitals and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have agreed to stop providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical mutilation to children.
DOJ was investigating whether the hospitals broke federal health care laws and improperly billed government programs and private insurers for these procedures.
As part of the agreements, NYU will pay $8.5 million, and UPMC will pay $950,000. Both hospital systems denied wrongdoing, and DOJ said the settlements do not amount to a finding that either hospital was legally liable.
The investigations stem from a 2025 Trump directive ordering DOJ to prioritize enforcement involving medical procedures intended to transition minors. The Trump administration has already reached similar agreements with Mount Sinai, Texas Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, and Connecticut Children’s Hospital.
With control of Congress at stake this November, federal policy involving children and parental rights will remain part of the broader political debate.
By Jarek Tuszyński – Own work, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
