Why Are Taxpayer Dollars Being Used to Harm Minors?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns protection of children. Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell posted an article at The Daily Signal explaining how the Trump administration is protecting children by better control of Medicaid coverage. 

The Trump administration’s decision to prohibit Medicaid coverage of child sex-change procedures will save taxpayers at least $18.5 million.

Between 2019 and 2023, the total submitted charges for child sex-change surgeries in the U.S. amounted to $108, 516,134, of which $18,476,978 were submitted to Medicaid, including traditional Medicaid and managed Medicaid, according to data from medical watchdog Do No Harm shared with The Daily Signal.

There [was] a total of $119,791,202 submitted charges for sex-change procedures on minors, including both surgeries and medications in the United States, between 2019 and 2023, according to Do No Harm.

Under the leadership of Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is urging states against using Medicaid funds for transgender medical interventions for minors….

It is legal for a child to undergo a gender transition in almost half of the states.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., had pressed Oz on his past support for child gender transitions….

Oz responded to Hawley that his views have changed to be in alignment with those of the Trump administration. President Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting federal support for child sex changes on Jan. 28.

The conservative senator praised the Medicaid director for staying true to his promise to protect kids from transgenderism….

“Our tax dollars should be used to protect Medicaid and Medicare, not the mutilation of our children.”

On Friday, Oz publicly agreed with Hawley, stating that under his watch, Medicaid won’t fund irreversible child gender transition procedures.

“Medicaid dollars are not to be used for gender reassignment surgeries or hormone treatments in minors – procedures that can cause permanent, irreversible harm, including sterilization,” Oz said. “We have a duty to ensure medical care is lawful, necessary, and truly in the best interests of patients.”