McClain Probes Biden Administration’s Influence on Removal of Age Minimums for Gender Transition Procedures

WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) is today investigating allegations of interference by Biden-Harris Administration officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in recommendations for pediatric transgender surgeries. The New York Times recently reported that HHS officials sought to influence the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) to drop its minimum standards of care age guidelines for pediatric transgender surgeries. In a letter to HHS Secretary Becerra, Chair McClain is requesting documents and information from HHS related to its interactions with WPATH to assist in its investigation of this matter.

“Considering the Biden Administration’s recently concocted defense that ‘The Administration does not support surgery for minors,’ it is alarming that HHS would advocate for these policies in its communications with WPATH. The reality that WPATH caved to make changes to child patient care recommendations based on blatant political motivations is a stain on the credibility of WPATH and its guidelines,” Subcommittee Chair McClain wrote.

In July 2024, Subcommittee Chairwoman McClain and Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) also opened a probe into allegations of fraudulent billing of pediatric gender transition care by medical providers to Medicaid programs. The lawmakers noted that CMS and HHS OIG have failed to take necessary action to address fraud, despite multiple reports of weaknesses in the process Medicaid agencies use to identify improper payments.

“Despite WPATH’s initial minimum age recommendations, Admiral Levine and Boateng’s clear, concise instructions to remove age recommendations from SOC-8 led to their ultimate removal, notwithstanding the Biden Administration’s now public statement that it opposes providing such surgeries to minors,” Subcommittee Chair McClain continued.

Read the letter to HHS Secretary Becerra here.