Threatened with the loss of Medicare and Medicaid funding, Children's Hospital Colorado and Denver Health have announced they are pausing so-called “gender-affirming care” after learning Children’s Hospital is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Neither hospital was performing sex-change surgeries, such as removing the breasts of young girls, but both facilities were giving minors prescriptions for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
The hospitals’ decisions were first reported by Denver-based 9News, an NBC News affiliate.
Back in December, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the federal agency was taking six “decisive actions” to end what he called chemical and surgical mutilation of children.
“So-called 'gender affirming care' has inflicted lasting physical and psychological damage on vulnerable young people,” Kennedy told reporters. “We’re done with junk science, driven by ideological pursuits, not of well-being of children."
Linda Harvey, of Mission America, told American Family News that Kennedy and HHS represent “common sense and true compassion” in Washington, D.C.
At the two hospitals, however, statements they released made it clear they were making a difficult financial decision but have no regrets for their now-halted medical decisions.
The families of "gender diverse children," Children's Hospital said, "should have the ability to receive the expert medical care their child needs to thrive."
