Wisconsin families demand hospitals resume trans youth care after federal court ruling

LGBTQ+ advocates in Wisconsin are calling on two major hospitals to resume gender-affirming care for youth, arguing that providers are now protected by a federal court ruling blocking the Trump administration’s policy.On Thursday, more than 65 Wisconsin organizations published an open letter to both the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Children’s Wisconsin, which suspended the services for youth in January.“Gender-affirming care is how we ensure Wisconsin’s transgender young people can become the healthy adults and compassionate leaders we know this state needs,” reads the letter, which was distributed by the LGBTQ+ advocacy groups Fair Wisconsin and GSAFE.Last December, the Trump administration ordered hospitals to cease gender-affirming care for youth or risk losing federal funds through programs like Medicaid. Many providers, like the Wisconsin hospitals, complied with the policy before it was enforced or held up in court, effectively cutting trans youth nationwide off from their longtime providers and ongoing treatment. A federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s policy last month, ruling that the administration had overstepped its authority. Despite this reversal, hospitals that halted care have widely been silent on whether the services will return, with few exceptions.Related: California hospital will continue youth gender-affirming care after families protestThe Wisconsin hospitals are among those still holding out. UW Health told The Advocate it does not plan to resume its services yet. Similarly, Children’s Wisconsin said it is not currently offering gender-affirming care to youth.“This decision was not made lightly. While we continue to believe this is evidence-based care, threats from those federal actions are not fully resolved,” a spokesperson for UW Health wrote in a statement to The Advocate. “The current risk is too great to resume this care. We recognize the challenges faced by impacted patients and families and r