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Denver Health suspends gender-affirming surgeries for people under 19 following Trump executive order

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DENVER — Denver Health has suspended gender-affirming surgeries for some patients to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at cutting federal support for gender transitions for people under age 19.

The order directs that federally-run insurance programs, including TRICARE for military families and Medicaid, exclude coverage for such care and calls on the Department of Justice to vigorously pursue litigation and legislation to oppose the practice.

Medicaid programs in some states, including Colorado, cover gender-affirming care. The new order suggests that practice could end and target hospitals and universities that receive federal money and provide the care.

In a statement provided to Denver7 Wednesday, a spokesperson said Denver Health is "complying with the executive order while carefully analyzing its full impact on our patients and services." The spokesperson went on to say Denver Health will "continue to support our patients and families during this challenging time."

On Thursday, the hospital system released a lengthier statement, which reads as follows:

Denver Health is committed to and deeply concerned for the health and safety of our gender diverse patients under the age of 19 in light of the executive order regarding youth gender-affirming care. We recognize this order will impact gender-diverse youth, including increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicidality.

It is our understanding that compliance with the order commenced as of January 28, 2025. We are working to understand and comply with the full implications of the broadly worded order. Guidance on changes to medical care is being handled privately so that we can best support our patients and their families.

The executive order includes criminal and financial consequences for those who do not comply, including placing participation in federal programs including Medicare, Medicaid and other programs administered by HHS at risk. These programs represent a significant portion of Denver Health’s funding, and the executive order specifically states that should we not comply, our participation in these programs is at risk. The loss of this funding would critically impair our ability to provide care for the Denver community.

Denver Health is proud to be one of a very small number of providers of comprehensive care services to all of our patients including to LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse patients. As we navigate the order’s requirements, we will continue to provide primary and behavioral health care to all impacted youth and will work to maintain the level of trust we have built with the LGBTQ+ community.

We encourage all patients to continue with their scheduled primary care and behavioral health care visits and discuss changes in medical care with their doctor as needed.

The executive order has raised concerns for LGBTQ+ groups across Colorado, including Rocky Mountain Equality.

“The mental health damage being created by this order is real, and we will lose people because of it,” said Mardi Moore, CEO of Rocky Mountain Equality.

Rocky Mountain Equality has worked closely with Denver Health for decades, according to Moore.

“This administration is forcing health systems like Denver Health to make impossible decisions,” she said.

Denver Health did not detail the exact amount of federal funding it receives, but in its statement, the hospital system said a loss of such funding "would critically impair our ability to provide care for the Denver community."

“The issue is how dependent we have become on federal dollars flowing into almost every aspect of our lives, even right down to local hospitals,” said Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, a think tank that focuses on law and policy. “Step back from the gender wars for a minute and you realize anything that restricts money from the feds or lowers that amount is a good thing.”

Rocky Mountain Equality told Denver7 it is prepared to double down on mental health services as it navigates these changes.

“Everything is up for grabs right now, and so the security is within your own community, and the security that we each have is within our own relationships,” said Moore.

In 2023, state lawmakers passed updated health insurance rules that made Colorado the first state in the country to include gender-affirming care services as essential health benefits.

Colorado has passed several other laws that protect members of the LGBTQ+ community, including Protections for Accessing Reproductive Health Care Law (2023) and Identity Documents for Transgender Persons Law (2019).

This is the latest in a series of executive orders aimed at transgender people. Hours after taking office, Trump issued an executive order calling for the U.S. government to only recognize two genders — male and female. On Monday, the president directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to revise the Pentagon's policy on transgender troops, likely setting in motion a future ban on their military service.

Denver7's Adria Iraheta The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story stated surgeries were suspended for "minors." This article was updated to show that the order impacts people under the age of 19.


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