New Federal Bill Criminalizes Gender-Related Medical Care for Minors, Threatening 10-Year Prison Sentences for Doctors

This new legislation, called the Childhood Genital Mutilation Prevention Act, is a major federal move that would essentially criminalize specific medical treatments related to gender transition for anyone under 18. If passed, it creates a new federal felony crime for anyone who "knowingly performs or attempts to perform" what it calls "gender-related medical treatment" on a minor, carrying a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison, a hefty fine, or both (SEC. 2). This applies if the act involves crossing state lines or using tools like the internet—which, let’s be honest, covers pretty much everything in modern medicine. This is a dramatic step, shifting medical decisions from the doctor’s office to the federal criminal justice system.

The Fine Print: What Counts as a Crime?

The bill defines "gender-related medical treatment" very broadly, covering specific surgeries and medications for both those perceived as female and those perceived as male. For example, it includes surgeries like breast removal (subcutaneous mastectomy) and vocal cord surgery, as well as medications like puberty blockers (GnRH agonists) and synthetic hormones (SEC. 2). If you’re a doctor, surgeon, or even a nurse involved in administering these treatments, you could face criminal charges. The only exception is extremely narrow: the treatment must be to address a diagnosed disorder of sex development (DSD), confirmed by genetic or biochemical testing. If a young person is experiencing gender dysphoria but doesn't meet the criteria for a DSD, the treatment is prohibited and criminalized.

Cutting Off the Cash Flow: Medicare and Federal Funding

The bill doesn't stop at criminal penalties; it also uses the federal purse strings to enforce the ban. First, Medicare will stop covering any of these defined gender-related medical treatments for minors 90 days after the law takes effect (SEC. 3). More critically, if a provider gives a minor this prohibited care, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must terminate that provider’s enrollment in Medicare. This is a massive penalty. Imagine a hospital or clinic that serves a lot of Medicare patients—losing Medicare enrollment could effectively shut them down, all because one doctor provided care that the bill prohibits, even if the minor wasn't a Medicare beneficiary themselves. This provision could severely limit healthcare access in areas where providers rely heavily on Medicare patients.

Additionally, the bill puts a hard stop on all federal money—from trust funds to current appropriations—being used to pay for these treatments or for health insurance plans that cover them for minors (SEC. 4). This means that federal programs like Medicaid (though not explicitly mentioned, it relies on federal funding), military healthcare (Tricare), and federal employee health plans would be barred from covering this care for anyone under 18. For families who rely on federal insurance, this would mean a total loss of coverage for these specific medical paths, forcing them to either pay out-of-pocket or forgo the treatment entirely. This legislation creates a powerful one-two punch: criminalizing the care while simultaneously defunding it across the board.