Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Transgender Athletes Banned From Female Sports Teams
The New York Times: Donald Trump Signs Executive Order To Block Transgender Athletes From Women’s Sports
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to stop transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports unless they were assigned female at birth, promising to deny federal funding to high schools and colleges that do not comply. “With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” Trump said from the East Room of the White House. (West and Schnell, 2/5)
On gender-affirming care for minors —
The Hill: Trump's Order On Gender Care For Minors Faces Legal Pushback
More than a dozen Democratic state attorneys general on Wednesday affirmed their support for gender-affirming health care for transgender youth after an executive order issued late last week by President Trump threatened federal support for treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery for young people. (Migdon, 2/5)
Military.Com: How Trump's Moves To End Protections For Transgender People Could Hurt Veterans Health Care
The overall health and well-being of transgender veterans will be harmed by erasing transgender people from official federal policy, veterans and experts told Military.com. While the Department of Veterans Affairs has not publicly announced any formal guidance on how it will implement President Donald Trump's order to eliminate all federal policies that are supportive of transgender people, gender identities are already being scrubbed from patient records, a source familiar with the situation told Military.com. (Kheel, 2/5)
Chicago Tribune: Illinois To Protect Gender-Affirming Care, Despite Trump Order
An Illinois teenager’s chest surgery was canceled last week after President Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking to end gender-affirming care for minors, his mother said in a court document filed Wednesday. (Schencker, 2/5)
Bloomberg: New York's Presbyterian, Sinai, NYU-Langone Halt Some Gender Affirming Care
Three of New York’s most prominent hospitals are curbing gender affirming care for minors after President Donald Trump’s executive orders put at risk billions of dollars in federal funding. New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, who represents parts of downtown Manhattan, said that NYU Langone had recently stopped allowing new patients to make appointments for gender-affirming care for minors. Mount Sinai also canceled some appointments for gender-affirming care, New York City Council Member Tiffany Caban said in a statement. Meanwhile, NewYork-Presbyterian has removed references to gender-affirming care for trans youth from its website, The City reported. (Butler and Nahmias, 2/5)
CBS News: Colorado Hospitals Comply With Trump's Transgender Health Order As Families Scramble To Seek Care
Hospitals in Colorado have begun responding to new federal mandates from President Trump restricting transgender rights. Denver Health says it's complying with the order to maintain access to federal programs, but families across the state are grappling with the impact. One Boulder family, fearful for their safety, spoke anonymously about their struggles. "We're terrified. I can't get her out of the country and I can't get her care," said a Boulder father, identified only as Manny. "It seems like a death sentence to me." (Horbacewicz, 2/5)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri Senate Votes To Make Restrictions On Transgender Care For Minors Permanent
Missouri state senators on Wednesday voted to make permanent restrictions on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors. The 22-8 vote came as the Republican-controlled chamber was weighing unrelated legislation to get rid of two other expiration dates in state law. (Suntrup, 2/5)
